GRAFTON, Wisconsin — A Wisconsin pharmacist was arrested for sabotaging nearly 600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Police officials in Grafton, Wisconsin said the incident happened back on December 26 at Advocate Aurora Health Hospital.

Hospital officials said 570 doses of the vaccine were removed from cold storage by a pharmacist and left out overnight. They originally believed the incident was an accident but received information that made them look further. They called police on December 30.

A pharmacist who worked for the hospital eventually provided a written statement admitting to purposefully removing the vaccine and leaving it out overnight knowing that it would render them useless. 

The hospital said 57 doses of the spoiled vaccine were administered to patients. Medical experts said that those does were useless but not harmful to patient health.

Officers arrested the pharmacist on charges of:

  • First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety (Class F felony)
  • Adulterating a Prescription Drug (Class H felony)
  • Criminal Damage to Property (Class I felony)

 

He is currently incarcerated in the Ozaukee County jail. Police did not speculate on the motive.