‘Simply immoral’: Ontario pharmacists poised to trash thousands of expiring Moderna doses as demand declines
For Toronto pharmacist Kyro Maseh, the thought of tossing a life-saving vaccine into the trash is gut-wrenching.
But the owner of Lawlor Pharmasave on Kingston Road will soon have to throw away about 350 doses of Moderna “liquid gold,” as he puts it, if he can’t find arms for the shots before they expire August 2.
“It is just simply immoral, just sinful,” Maseh said Friday. “This could have saved a lot of lives in other countries.”
The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine only lasts 30 days in pharmacy fridges, and must be discarded if not administered by then. However, demand for the brand in Ontario is declining, due in part to skepticism about mixing and matching doses and misinformation about Moderna.
“The answer is simple,” said Maseh. “Just send it to countries that need it.”
But there is no protocol in place for donating soon-to-expire shots to jurisdictions starving for COVID-19 vaccines, partially due to strict quality control and cold chain custody requirements.
“While it is a shame if we do end up wasting, the extraction is very complex once the supply is distributed into the channel,” Justin Bates, CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, told CTV Toronto.
“It’s not a simple solution once it’s in the fridge in the pharmacy.”
Bates estimates that thousands of doses could soon be forced to hit the trash in Ontario pharmacies as demand diminishes.
The Ontario Ministry of Health told CTV Toronto that it is working with local partners to redistribute doses to areas in need, as well as with federal partners “to explore vaccine donation opportunities in the future.”
Health Canada, meanwhile, said that work is underway to develop options for excess doses, particularly in certified depots where integrity can be assured.
“What I think needs to happen is the doses need to be reallocated from the top,” Ontario pharmacist Kristen Watt told CTV Toronto Friday. “So before they land on Canadian soil, they need to be redirected to where they need to go.”
Watt herself has had to toss expired COVID-19 vaccines, which she describes as “moral injury” for pharmacists.
But she said she’s trying to focus on celebrating each additional dose given, at this point, rather than doses lost.
“If I can open one vial and give it to a person that was previously vaccine-hesitant, before they have a [COVID-19] exposure, that is a life that I have potentially saved, rather than focusing on the five or 10 doses I may have lost in that vial,” Watt said.
Maseh, meanwhile, said he is prepared to drive his expiring doses anywhere he can to prevent them from going to waste.
“For so long they were liquid gold,” he said. “But they still are in many jurisdictions, and we need to keep that in mind.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.