Investigating Cold Chain Sytem and Efficacy of Vaccines That Have Reached to the Market in Turkey and Related Legal Provisions
A.Yekta Özer
Department of Radiopharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
Abstract:
Immunization programmes are implemented according to The Expended Programme of Immunization in WHO member countries. The cold chain component of the programme is as important as immunization coverage. Vaccines are produced and released as safe and efficient. But do they secure their safety and efficacy by the time they're administered at the field. Aim of our study is to monitor and evaluate the cold chain for vaccines used in Turkey from the time they're kept at the Primary Vaccine Store to the health service at the field. Also we have collected the designated vaccines used in this study to Primary Vaccine Store in cold chain conditions and retested them for potency testing. The Hepatitis B Vaccine and Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) are monitored due to their freeze and heat sensitivities as Hepatitis B is the most sensitive vaccine for freezing and OPV for heat. We have sent the products to 7 geographical regions in Turkey using small continuous temperature recorders that records temperature data for long durations. The health workers were not informed they will receive vaccines with these hidden thermometers. A small notice has put in the small boxes of vaccines informing health workers what they have to do after receiving them. Evaluating the thermometers collected from field we have found that cold chain in warehousing and transportation is reliable. And the potency tests done by the National Control Authority found to be satisfactory according to the references. Vaccines in Turkey are kept in Cold Chain conditions and the vaccines at the health service level are safe and efficient.
Keywords: Vaccines, cold chain, vaccine transportation, efficacy of vaccines, expended programme of immunization.
