Health Alert
RE-VACCINATION OF CHILDREN IMMUNIZED BY DR EARL BRADLEY

Message: Posted August 19, 2010:

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is providing this information to alert Delaware clinicians that they may be contacted by parents of children previously cared for by Dr Bradley. Clinicians may have to evaluate and determine the need to re-vaccinate these children because of an ongoing investigation of allegations that Dr Bradley may have administered diluted or expired vaccine to some of his patients.

The Division of Public Health is not able to confirm the accuracy of these allegations, and it is possible that we may never know if these allegations are true. The allegations relate to the years 2006 through 2007, but may not be limited to those years.

Parents/caregivers have been urged by DPH to contact their child's current medical provider to determine the need for re-vaccination. Included with this alert is information that is being shared with parents of Bradley's former patients. This information was prepared by the Division of Public Health. If you have any questions about this information, you may contact the Division of Public Health's Immunization Program at 1-800-282-8672 between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday-Friday.

Also included is information prepared by CDC to provide guidance as you discuss re-vaccination with children previously cared for by Bradley (Tables 1 and 2). In most circumstances, any dose of expired or diluted vaccine that has been administered should be repeated. Because it is not possible to confirm the accuracy of the allegations of vaccine misadministration by Dr Bradley, the safest course of action is to re-administer vaccines as needed according to the current age of the child. For those parents who want to pursue serological testing, this can be an option for some vaccines, although there may be cost and availability implications with this approach (Table 2). More specific details on the catch-up immunization schedules are also available at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/default.htm .

The Attorney General's Lewes Community Office, at 105 W. 4th Street, was established following the arrest of Earl Bradley and remains open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00am until 5:00pm, with special hours by appointment. Parents may reach the Lewes Community Office at 302-645-4010. There they can get copies of their child's medical records and information about other services. In addition, if they have information to share, or are in need of non-medical information or services, they may also contact the Delaware State Police Victim Services Hotline at 1-800-VICTIM1 (1-800-842-8461). Staff is available 24 hours a day to assist them.

Re-Vaccination of Children Attachment

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