Flu Vaccine Mixup: 10 Residents And Staff Of Oklahoma Group Home Received Insulin Instead Of Flu Shots

Nearly a dozen staff and residents at an Oklahoma group home that cares for the developmentally disabled were hospitalized after receiving insulin instead of flu shots.

A local pharmacist had been brought to Jacquelyn House in Bartlesville to administer influenza shots to staff and residents. Eight residents and two staff members began showing signs of extremely low blood sugar shortly after receiving shots. EMS responded around 4:30 p.m. when one of the 10 people affected lost consciousness and was unresponsive. The group was then rushed to Jane Phillips Hospital for treatment.

Symptoms of dangerously low blood sugar include shakiness, confusion and loss of consciousness. Extremelty low blood sugar can lead to death.

“At some point, and we don't know how it happened yet, the vial that contained the flu vaccine was traded out for a vial containing what we believe to be insulin,” Bartlesville Police Chief Tracy Roles told reporters. “I can't say enough about how good of a job the fire department and the EMS staff did containing the situation, controlling the situation, and doing what they needed to do to put the patients in the best possible position for recovery.”

Authorities said they believe the pharmacist administering the shots mixed up a vial of flu vaccine with a vial of insulin and administered the insulin instead. The pharmacist had been practicing for nearly 40 years and was cooperating with investigators.

“The person who administered what we believe is insulin is being very cooperative,” Roles said. “Not being invasive or elusive at all. I'm so hopeful that means that this was just a terrible accident. The bigger hope is that all of the patients who are at the hospital make a full recovery.”