Unused Pfizer vaccines tossed as Australians turned away for early booster jabs

Doctors are tossing unused Pfizer vaccines instead of giving them as early booster shots because of government red tape.

Exclusive: Australians wanting to receive their Covid booster jabs early are being turned away by pharmacists and doctors, whose clinics are instead choosing to toss unused Pfizer stock.

And some medical practices have stopped delivering out-of-hours booster jabs entirely,

as government payments plummet.

It is not illegal for health practitioners to give people a booster dose earlier than six months after their second jab, as recommended by government rules.

Healthcare workers and those in remote areas can receive them five months after their second dose.

But doctors who give early booster jabs run the risk of not being eligible for the federal government’s no fault compensation scheme, if the patient suffers an adverse event.

“Nothing will go wrong giving it two days early but technically you’re not covered by your medical defence,” South Australian GP Dr Daniel Byrne said.

Last week Melbourne GP Dr Mukesh Haikerwal disposed of 1000 Pfizer doses — he was not prepared to administer for legal fears — because their use by date was up.

News Corp has, however, spoken to several doctors and chemists who admit, off the record, they are rolling the dice and giving early doses to people travelling overseas or to the elderly who want extra protection in the lead up to Christmas.

Some doctors will give early booster doses. Picture: istock

The UK has reduced the interval for booster shots to just three months for all adults.

But on Friday, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) found there was no evidence to suggest a shorter interval helped against the new Omicron variant.

Dr Haikerwal said Victorian health officials were considering whether the timing should be made more flexible in the lead up to Christmas.

GP clinics will shut down over Christmas and this could lead to a vaccination booster rush in January.

“We know that Britain has gone down to three months and we know other countries have also reduced their period from second to third dose,” Dr Haikerwal said.

Pharmacy Guild President Trent Twomey said some pharmacists were giving early boosters.

“The only limited examples I’ve had have been in situations where somebody is travelling overseas,” he said.

Dr Mukesh Haikerwal said he had to dispose of 1000 out of date Pfizer vaccines last week. Picture: Mark Stewart

Mr Twomey said as demand for vaccinations peters out, with nearly 90 per cent of Australians over 16 now doubled jabbed, chemists were throwing away up to nine doses of the vaccine on some days.

“They are all multi-dose vials and you’ve got to open it for the one person (per day),” he said.

It comes as GPs are threatening to stop providing Covid jabs because the amount they are paid to deliver the booster is 30 per cent less than they were paid to deliver the initial doses.

“GPs are on the brink of not continuing with boosters because of a reduction from $33 to $24 in the amount they are paid,” Australian Medical Association vice president Dr Chris Moy said.

“It is a loss maker by the time you have paid for nursing staff, admin staff, PPE, multi-dose vial handling and record keeping requirements.”

The Chandler’s Hill Surgery in Adelaide has written to federal Health Minister Greg Hunt and SA Health warning: “As of December 31st we cannot see a way forward for us to continue Covid-19 vaccinations clinics. The SA Health clinics will have to take up the role including outreach to retirement villages. I don’t believe they will be cutting staff wages by 30 per cent”.

A letter from a SA medical practice which has ceased running vaccination clinics on weekends and after hours because it says Medicare does not pay enough. It was sent to Greg Hunt and South Australia's health department. Picture: Supplied

The Omicron variant appears to be resistant to existing vaccines.

Many of the people in Australia and Hong Kong infected with the variant contracted it despite being double jabbed. However, they have been asymptomatic.

A team of Australian infectious diseases experts, known as the OzSage group, is calling for booster jabs to be brought forward to as few as two months after the second dose to provide extra protection against Omicron.

However, Australian National University infectious diseases expert professor Peter Collignon said most people had only just had their second jab and their vaccine would still be working at its peak.

Professor Collignon said the Omicron variant was less likely to spread quickly in summer.