The directions instructed doctors to inject the drug into muscles rather than underneath the skin as standard procedure prescribes.

The mislabeled vaccines were imported in February.

Following the announcement of the mislabeling, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) issued another statement last Friday saying tests had showed that the risks of using its MMRII vaccine according to the mislabeled instructions were very few and unclear.

The statement prompted the HCMC Health Department deputy director Pham Khanh Phong Lan to call an emergency meeting with the company on Tuesday afternoon.

Lan said the statement from the company was unacceptable.

A doctor from the Pasteur Institute in HCMC said it was necessary to provide exact and accurate instructions on all products, particularly those as sensitive as vaccines, which are often prone to complications. The doctor wished to remain anonymous.

At the meeting, MSD Asia representative Alycia Draper refused to answer the department’s questions about how much vaccine had already been distributed. She said she needed permission from company leadership before speaking with authorities and the press.

Merck Sharp & Dohme Asia Ltd. is a branch of Merck Sharp & Dohme in New Jersey, US.

Source: SGGP