Assemblyman Kim Won-i, 37 Cases Detected of Vaccine 'Low Dead Space' Syringe Fragments and Hair Contamination

Foreign Substances in Syringes More Than Double from 27 Cases in June 2019 to 56 Cases This June

Since This Year, COVID-19 Vaccine LDS Syringes Included... Account for 66% of Total Syringe Detections

"Directly Related to Public Health... Tho

Democratic Party of Korea Representative Kim Won-i (Health and Welfare Committee, Mokpo City) ⓒ Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] According to data received from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 'Detection Status of Foreign Substance Contamination in Syringes and Infusion Sets over the Past 3 Years,' Assemblyman Kim Won-i (Health and Welfare Committee, Mokpo City) of the Democratic Party of Korea revealed that a total of 140 cases of foreign substance contamination were detected in syringes and infusion sets from June 2019 to June this year.

The number of detected foreign substance contaminations in syringes, which was 27 cases in June 2019, surged to 29 cases in 2020 and 56 cases as of June 2021. The 56 cases detected as of June 2021 represent more than double the number compared to the same month in 2019.

In particular, this year, 37 cases of foreign substance contamination were detected in low dead space (LDS) syringes used for COVID-19 vaccinations.

This accounts for 66% of the detected syringe contamination cases as of June this year. Examining the types of foreign substances found in syringes over the past three years, hair accounted for 33 cases (29.5%), fragments (such as conveyor belt debris) 26 cases (23.2%), and insects 2 cases (1.8%).

Other foreign substances (fibers, paper, box tape, broom bristles, etc.) accounted for 51 cases (45.5%). In the case of LDS syringes, fragments accounted for 17 cases (45.9%), hair 5.4%, and others 18 cases (48.6%).

Regarding foreign substance contamination in infusion sets over the past three years, hair accounted for 7 cases (25%), insects 2 cases (7.1%), and others 19 cases (67.9%).

Assemblyman Kim Won-i stated, “With the start of COVID-19 vaccinations this year, foreign substance contamination in LDS syringes has also been detected,” adding, “The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety claims that the size of foreign substances is larger than in syringes and that they are found during vaccine preparation stages, thus posing no risk of entering the human body. However, contamination should be minimized from the manufacturing process.”

He continued, “Since this issue is directly related to public health, it must be managed conservatively,” emphasizing, “Thorough management and supervision are necessary to prevent foreign substance contamination in all syringes and infusion sets, including LDS syringes.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.