In a shocking turn of events, medical staff in Western Australia have been warned about the wrong immunizations being administered to patients.
A vaccine update was sent to medical offices in the western state, reminding staff to ensure they are giving patients the correct jab for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
According to WA Health, “It is essential to check the correct RSV immunisation product is being given prior to administration.”
The warning comes after reports of the wrong RSV vaccines being administered to some patients.
WA Health issued an urgent alert to staff, urging them to use the correct products according to the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
Different Vaccines for Different Demographics
There are different types of RSV jabs for particular demographics, including Beyfortus (nirsevimab) for children aged up to two years old, Abrysvo for women who are 28-36 weeks pregnant and for adults over the age of 60, and Arexvy for adults over 60 or adults over 50 with increased risk.
Therapeutic Goods Administration Weighs In
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) recently released advice on the “correct administration” of RSV vaccines, which was released in response to reports of administration errors.
According to the TGA, “We have been receiving reports in 2025 of product administration errors related to RSV prevention products.”
The TGA warned that an administration error may lead to various problems, including unknown levels of protection for vaccine recipients, cost impacts, inconvenience, and reduced confidence in vaccination more broadly.
Nationwide Reports of Wrong Vaccines
Nationwide, there have been 84 reports of the wrong vaccine being given. The TGA reported 24 medication error reports of Arexvy being given in pregnancy, 24 reports of Abrysvo being administered to children less than 12 months old, and 36 reports of Beyfortus (nirsevimab) being administered to females aged 15–54 years.
Medical staff have been urged to keep a closer eye on what jabs they are giving, as the consequences of these errors could be severe.