How do I report a vaccine error?

If you want to report a non-preventable adverse reaction to a vaccine product, please visit the US Department of Health and Human Services Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) (http://vaers.hhs.gov).

How does a bifurcated needle work?

The established technique is to dip the needle in the vaccine, and then puncture a person’s upper arm fifteen times rapidly in a small circular area, without prior cleansing of the skin with alcohol. The needle is then disposed of. When done correctly a trace of blood appears at the vaccination site.

Do we still use bifurcated needles?

Smallpox is the only disease that has been eradicated in humans, thanks in part to the bifurcated needle. It holds a dose of reconstituted smallpox vaccine in its prongs and punctures a person’s skin easily to the ideal depth for delivery.

Is it safe to repeat Covid vaccine?

If the additional primary dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is given fewer than 24 days after the second dose (i.e., administered earlier than the 4-day grace period), the additional primary dose should be repeated.

What are error reporting systems?

Reporting systems that focus on safety improvement are “voluntary reporting systems.” The focus of voluntary systems is usually on errors that resulted in no harm (sometimes referred to as “near misses”) or very minimal patient harm.

What is a BCG needle?

The Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine is used to prevent tuberculosis (TB). The BCG vaccine is named after Dr Albert Calmette and Dr Camille Guerin, who developed the vaccine from a germ called Mycobacterium bovis, which is similar to TB.

When was the bifurcated needle invented?

They were abandoned in favor of the bifurcated needle, which was invented in 1965 by Dr Benjamin Rubin of Wyeth Laboratories.

What happens if a vaccine is injected into a nerve?

Injections that occur below the deltoid muscle can hit the radial nerve and injections that are too far to the side of the deltoid muscle can hit the axillary nerve. If a nerve is hit, the patient will feel an immediate burning pain, which can result in paralysis or neuropathy that does not always resolve.

Can injection damage nerves?

Post-injection nerve damage can result from direct needle trauma, chemical irritation, toxic action of the injected solution, and neuritis (or fibrotic changes). When a nerve injury is caused by a needle, most patients report immediate pain at the time of injection,11 as our patient did.