November 12, 2026 — 8:10am
A Sydney hospital has contacted more than 2800 families after discovering babies and pregnant women were given incorrectly stored vaccines that may not have provided effective protection against infectious diseases.
A review of vaccination fridge records in Kareena Private Hospital’s maternity unit found vaccines for RSV, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and hepatitis B were stored at lower than recommended temperatures.
Vaccines transported or kept in fridges set to temperatures outside the recommended range do not cause harm, but they may not have maintained their potency and effectiveness.
Dr Bernadette Eather, clinical services director and chief nurse at Ramsay Health Care – which owns the Caringbah hospital – said that after frosting was seen on vaccine packaging in late July 2026, the hospital took immediate steps to remove all vaccines and notify the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District’s Public Health Unit (PHU).
“Most importantly, we want to reassure families there are no safety risks to mothers or babies from having received these vaccines,” Eather said in a statement.
Out of an abundance of caution, and acting on advice from the PHU and paediatricians (including an infectious disease specialist) the hospital sent letters to all mothers vaccinated in the past seven years and the families of babies vaccinated in the past five years.
This amounted to 2837 families.
“This is because we cannot say with 100 per cent certainty which individual vaccines may have been affected and over what period of time,” Eather said.
The letters advised families what steps, if any, they may need to take to ensure their child was fully protected, based on careful review of multiple systems, validated data and patient records.
“The overwhelming majority of families will have continued their childhood vaccination schedule, and therefore no further action is required,” Eather said.
“We are incredibly sorry that this has occurred, and our priority is to ensure each family is communicated with and supported as part of this process,” Eather said.
Dr Vicky Sheppeard, director of South Eastern Sydney’s PHU said it was notified by Kareena Private on August 11 of a cold chain breach involving a vaccine fridge on the postnatal ward.
Sheppeard confirmed that the vaccines would not have caused any direct harm, there was no risk to the community and the health district was working with the hospital to ensure it maintained best practice vaccine storage.
Families with further questions can call the hospital’s support line on 1800 MYHEALTH. A vaccination clinic is available at Kareena Private Hospital for anyone who may need an additional vaccine.
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Source: The Age · Kate Aubusson
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