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http://www.wftv.com/news/local/500-...lando-doctor-arrested-officials-say/705878144
500 children may need revaccination, Orlando doctor arrested, officials say
By: Samantha Manning , Elyna Niles-Carnes
Updated: Feb 23, 2018 - 11:16 PM
Officials announced Dr. Ishrat Sohail is accused of giving vaccines to patients with private insurance, while the vaccines were intended for Medicaid and uninsured children as part of the Vaccines for Children Program, officials said.
Sohail has an office in Orlando at 2702 North Orange Avenue, Suite B.
Read: Florida eye doctor gets 17 years for Medicare fraud
Sohail is accused of giving patients partial doses of vaccines while billing insurance for the full amount, officials said. The partial doses also may not provide sufficient protection from potentially dangerous vaccine-preventable diseases, officials said.
The department is working with the Agency for Health Care Administration and health plans to notify all potentially impacted families. At this time, it is estimated that approximately 500 children may have been impacted, officials said in a news release.
Sohail’s license to practice medicine in the state of Florida has been suspended by the state.
The department in 2016 determined Sohail administered two vials of VFC vaccines to non-Medicaid patients and billed private insurance companies, officials said. She was suspended from the VFC program for two months.
Read: Florida doctor facing long Medicare fraud sentence
Sohail was placed on a corrective action plan, which limited the vaccines available to her, and in January, she was found to be in non-compliance, officials said.
Any child who received a vaccine from Sohail between 2016 and 2018 should contact a new primary care provider and consider revaccination, officials said.
There is also the possibility that Sohail did not follow best practices in maintaining the sterility of the vaccines she administered. If a child experienced a severe adverse reaction or infection at the injection site of any vaccine administered by Sohail or her staff, please contact the DOH-Orange epidemiology at 407-858-1485, officials said.
Read: Criminal charges dropped against Lake Mary doctor accused of inappropriately touching patients
© 2018 Cox Media Group.
https://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/a...s-pediatrician-for-using-partial-12706922.php
Florida arrests pediatrician for using partial vaccine doses
Updated 12:03 am, Sunday, February 25, 2018
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Florida pediatrician has been arrested for giving partial doses of vaccines to children.
The Florida Department of Health says in a statement that about 500 patients of Dr. Ishrat Sohail may have been affected. The agency is working to notify those families to consider revaccinating their children.
Sohail is suspected of Medicaid fraud.
In 2016, the health department suspended her for two months from a federal vaccination program for administering on children with private insurance vaccines meant for Medicaid and uninsured patients. State health officials discovered the partially-used doses in a follow-up visit in late January.
It is also possible Sohail's vaccines may not have been sterilized.
News Breaking News
Orlando doctor accused of mishandling vaccines — 500 kids may need new shots
Ishrat Sohali (Seminole County Jail)
David HarrisContact ReporterOrlando Sentinel
Privacy Policy
About 500 children have to be revaccinated because an Orlando doctor improperly administered vaccinations, according to the Florida Department of Health.
State Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip issued an emergency order suspending Dr. Ishrat Sohail’s medical license, citing an “immediate serious danger to the public health,” officials said.
Sohail was giving just partial doses of vaccines, making them less effective in fighting preventable diseases, officials said. The shots also may not have been given in a sterile environment.
Anyone who had a bad reaction or infection from a vaccination should call the Orange County Health Department’s epidemiology unit at 407-858-1485.
Medicaid fraud charge.
Officials said she was administering vaccines to children who have private insurance under the federal Vaccines for Children program. The shots are intended for children on Medicaid or who are uninsured.
Sohail came onto state health officials’ radar in 2016, when they discovered she billed private insurance companies for two vials of the vaccine. She was suspended two months, then was given limited doses.
In late January, health officials found partial doses of the vaccine in her office refrigerator. Officials alerted the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, who determined she was billing Medicaid for full doses, according to a press release.
Officials recommend that any child who received a vaccination from Sohail or her staff since 2016 be revaccinated.
The Agency for Health Care Administration is trying to contact affected families. Patients will have to find new doctors, and the county health department will help them if necessary, officials said.
Sohail’s office is at 2702 N. Orange Ave. She could not be reached for comment.
[email protected], 407-420-5471 or @DavidHarrisOS
500 children may need revaccination, Orlando doctor arrested, officials say
By: Samantha Manning , Elyna Niles-Carnes
Updated: Feb 23, 2018 - 11:16 PM
500 children may need revaccination, Orlando doctor...
Officials announced Dr. Ishrat Sohail is accused of giving vaccines to patients with private insurance, while the vaccines were intended for Medicaid and uninsured children as part of the Vaccines for Children Program, officials said.
Sohail has an office in Orlando at 2702 North Orange Avenue, Suite B.
Read: Florida eye doctor gets 17 years for Medicare fraud
Sohail is accused of giving patients partial doses of vaccines while billing insurance for the full amount, officials said. The partial doses also may not provide sufficient protection from potentially dangerous vaccine-preventable diseases, officials said.
The department is working with the Agency for Health Care Administration and health plans to notify all potentially impacted families. At this time, it is estimated that approximately 500 children may have been impacted, officials said in a news release.
Sohail’s license to practice medicine in the state of Florida has been suspended by the state.
The department in 2016 determined Sohail administered two vials of VFC vaccines to non-Medicaid patients and billed private insurance companies, officials said. She was suspended from the VFC program for two months.
Read: Florida doctor facing long Medicare fraud sentence
Sohail was placed on a corrective action plan, which limited the vaccines available to her, and in January, she was found to be in non-compliance, officials said.
Any child who received a vaccine from Sohail between 2016 and 2018 should contact a new primary care provider and consider revaccination, officials said.
There is also the possibility that Sohail did not follow best practices in maintaining the sterility of the vaccines she administered. If a child experienced a severe adverse reaction or infection at the injection site of any vaccine administered by Sohail or her staff, please contact the DOH-Orange epidemiology at 407-858-1485, officials said.
Read: Criminal charges dropped against Lake Mary doctor accused of inappropriately touching patients
© 2018 Cox Media Group.
https://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/a...s-pediatrician-for-using-partial-12706922.php
Florida arrests pediatrician for using partial vaccine doses
Updated 12:03 am, Sunday, February 25, 2018
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Florida pediatrician has been arrested for giving partial doses of vaccines to children.
The Florida Department of Health says in a statement that about 500 patients of Dr. Ishrat Sohail may have been affected. The agency is working to notify those families to consider revaccinating their children.
Sohail is suspected of Medicaid fraud.
In 2016, the health department suspended her for two months from a federal vaccination program for administering on children with private insurance vaccines meant for Medicaid and uninsured patients. State health officials discovered the partially-used doses in a follow-up visit in late January.
It is also possible Sohail's vaccines may not have been sterilized.
News Breaking News
Orlando doctor accused of mishandling vaccines — 500 kids may need new shots
Ishrat Sohali (Seminole County Jail)
David HarrisContact ReporterOrlando Sentinel
Privacy Policy
About 500 children have to be revaccinated because an Orlando doctor improperly administered vaccinations, according to the Florida Department of Health.
State Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip issued an emergency order suspending Dr. Ishrat Sohail’s medical license, citing an “immediate serious danger to the public health,” officials said.
Sohail was giving just partial doses of vaccines, making them less effective in fighting preventable diseases, officials said. The shots also may not have been given in a sterile environment.
Anyone who had a bad reaction or infection from a vaccination should call the Orange County Health Department’s epidemiology unit at 407-858-1485.
Medicaid fraud charge.
Officials said she was administering vaccines to children who have private insurance under the federal Vaccines for Children program. The shots are intended for children on Medicaid or who are uninsured.
Sohail came onto state health officials’ radar in 2016, when they discovered she billed private insurance companies for two vials of the vaccine. She was suspended two months, then was given limited doses.
In late January, health officials found partial doses of the vaccine in her office refrigerator. Officials alerted the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, who determined she was billing Medicaid for full doses, according to a press release.
Officials recommend that any child who received a vaccination from Sohail or her staff since 2016 be revaccinated.
The Agency for Health Care Administration is trying to contact affected families. Patients will have to find new doctors, and the county health department will help them if necessary, officials said.
Sohail’s office is at 2702 N. Orange Ave. She could not be reached for comment.
[email protected], 407-420-5471 or @DavidHarrisOS
