Flu Shot Mix-Up At Oklahoma Facility Leaves 10 Hospitalized Over Insulin Injection

Ten patients at an Oklahoma care facility for people with intellectual disabilities were hospitalized after they were accidentally injected with what’s believed to be insulin rather than flu shots, authorities said.

Bartlesville Police Chief Tracy Roles said emergency responders were called on Wednesday afternoon to the Jacquelyn House in Bartlesville, on a report of an unresponsive person and found “multiple unresponsive people.”

According to NBC News, the facility had contracted with an experienced pharmacist to administer the influenza vaccine. Still, somehow, all the patients received injections of what’s believed to be insulin instead. Roles said the pharmacist is cooperating with police, but investigators believe it was an accident.

Eight residents and two staff members were taken to a nearby Bartlesville hospital, and officials said that all have either been released or will be very soon.

“I’ve never seen where there’s been some sort of medical misadventure to this magnitude,” Chief Roles said. “It could have been worse. Not to downplay where we are, but thinking of where we could be, it certainly could have been very tragic.”