Sometimes, no matter how well prepared you are with a back up generator and remote temperature monitoring, disaster will strike and you will lose all of your vaccines.
Then what do you do?
Vaccine Loss Due to Disaster
The first step is working through your emergency response plan for when you have a vaccine storage problem.
But ultimately, if you have determined that your vaccines can’t be used, you will realize that those vaccines likely cost you fifty to one-hundred thousand dollars or more!
What do you do now?
“Most refrigerated vaccines are relatively stable at room temperature for limited periods of time. The vaccines of most concern are MMR and Varivax, which are sensitive to elevated temperatures.”
Natural Disasters and Severe Weather
Can’t you just send them back to the manufacturer for a refund?
Unfortunately, in general, you can’t send back your vaccines that are ruined because they have gotten too hot or too cold.
There are exceptions though!
It’s possible that you can be reimbursed for your vaccine loss if you have insurance.
If you don’t have insurance or your claim is denied, there is still hope, including the:
- GSK Natural Disaster Policy in FEMA Declared Natural Disaster areas (866-475-8222, option 3)
- Merck Disaster Relief Vaccine Return Program
- Pfizer Natural Disaster Policy (1-800-666-7248)
- Sanofi Pasteur Natural Disaster Policy (1-800-VACCINE)
And if nothing else, you can wait for the vaccines to expire, and then send them back…
More on Vaccine Losses
- What’s Your Plan for Storing Vaccines During an Emergency?
- Maintaining the Cold Chain for COVID-19 Vaccines
- COVID-19 Vaccine Challenges
- Buying a Vaccine Refrigerator
- Transporting Vaccines Safely
- COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring Systems
- Which Vaccines Need to be Frozen?
- Which Vaccines Need to be Refrigerated?
- History of Vaccine Manufacturers
- FEMA Declared Disasters
- CDC – Natural Disasters and Severe Weather
- IAC – Vaccine Manufacturers
- How to Return Merck Vaccines
- How to Return Sanofi Pasteur Vaccines