Pfizer vaccines from Romania not transported in official box

Raises suspections on disruption of cold chain

Jong Hean Baek,”The quality may not be warrantied by the manufacturer if the cold chain is compromised”

Criticism has been raised that the 1,053,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine that the government received from Romania last month were not stored in transport boxes that were officially authorized by its manufacturer, Pfizer.

 

Pfizer’s vaccines require ultra-low-temperature storage for quality maintenance and should be stored in Pfizer’s custom shipping box that ensures cold chain storage.

 

However, the criticism is that the government used private boxes, which could have compromised the quality of the vaccines.

 

On the 7th, National Assembly member Jong Hean Baek of the People Power Party raised the issue based on the data submitted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

 

According to the data, while transporting Pfizer's vaccines from Romania to Korea via Incheon airport in September, the Korean government used vaccine shipment boxes provided by a separate private transport company.

 

The background is that the Romania government had returned Pfizer’s custom shipment back to Pfizer after directly purchasing the vaccines.

 

Baek said that using private storage boxes for sensitive vaccines that should be transported in specially designed ultra-low-temperature storage containers is the issue.

 

Although they look like regular delivery boxes, Pfizer’s custom boxes use new plastic material or polymeric compound-coated corrugated cardboard and are strong against moisture, and have excellent thermal insulation.

 

Baek added that Pfizer meticulously packs its vaccines in custom boxes in its Belgium facility before shipping them to Europe.

 

This is to maintain the ultra-low temperature required to ensure the quality of the vaccine, and the box is packed in two layers and filled with refrigerants in between.

 

Baek added that in Korea, Pfizer Korea receives and the vaccines from the custom shipment boxes, takes out the vaccines, and returns the custom boxes to Belgium for reuse.

 

In other words, Baek’s view is that the vaccines should have been shipped after obtaining Pfizer's custom shipment boxes to maintain the vaccines’ quality and warranty.

 

As of the 5th, 4,031 cases of adverse events were reported after being vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine provided by Romania.

 

The government is investing in the causality of the events and said that the vaccines’ temperature has been well maintained in the course of bringing the vaccines to Korea.

 

Baek said, “While conducting the casualty investigation for the Pfizer vaccines from Romania, the government should analyze the cause by looking specifically at whether the initial cold chain was compromised in any way.

 

Also, the government should transparently disclose whether the manufacturer will warrant after-sale service for Romania’s vaccine quality issue.”