Ineffective vaccines given at Conroe clinic for months, health officials say

CONROE, TX (KTRK) -- Five weeks ago, the Montgomery County Hospital District issued a public notice -- that vaccinations given between March and October included vaccine that hadn't been stored at the recommended temperature.

Bottom line to those clients: come in and get a new vaccination. Of 520 people who got the shots, fewer than half have done so, and most of them are children.

A state audit revealed the refrigerator in which the vaccines were kept dipped below 34 degrees. The vaccine manufacturer couldn't guarantee the product would still be effective.

The refrigerator has been replaced, but the call is still out to the clients who have yet to respond.

The vaccinations include those for hepatitis A and B, whopping cough, polio, pneumonia, flu, and diphtheria, among others.

The COO of the hospital district said its lawyers have been contacted, to see if health privacy laws will allow it to release the names of students who received the vaccinations to school nurses.

So far, the health department has received no reports of clients coming down with the illnesses they were to be protected against.

Melissa Miller, that chief operating officer told us, "The potential for the doses being less than effective and preventing the disease is a fear. That's why we want everybody to get re-vaccinated."

If you or a family member was vaccinated at the Public Health Clinic located at 1300 South Loop 336 West between the dates of March 1, 2015 and October 20, 2015, you're asked to contact the Public Health District at (936) 523-5020, Monday - Friday between 8am and 5pm.