Blackmarket flu vaccines detained at airport
Emergency Management Alert, November 30, 2004
Federal agents seized 8,000 smuggled doses of flu vaccine last week at JFK Airport in New York, the AHA News reported.
Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point, NJ, reported the suspicious vaccine delivery to federal and local authorities, after being asked to purchase the vaccines. "We believe this demonstrates the important role of hometown security efforts in cooperation with federal homeland security to protect our nation," Shore Memorial President and CEO Albert L. Gutierrez told AHA.
The vaccines, which originated in France, weren't approved for use in the US.
Due to the hospital's actions, the illegal doses didn't make their way into the nation's vaccine supply. "The vaccines are off the street, and that's the important thing," said hospital spokesperson Margie Barham.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Marc Raimondi said an investigation is ongoing and urged providers to contact DHS at 866/DHS-2ICE if they have been contacted by anyone outside of their usual supply chain with similar offers.
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