Nearly 30% of South Korea's COVID-19 Vaccines Discarded Due to Expiration

The recent revelation that nearly three out of every ten COVID-19 vaccines procured by South Korea have been discarded due to expiration is a stark reminder of the challenges in managing public health resources. While the government, through the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), explains this as an unavoidable consequence of securing sufficient supply during the initial pandemic uncertainty and subsequent drops in vaccination rates, the sheer volume of waste is alarming.

“

Approximately 3 out of 10 COVID-19 vaccines have expired and been discarded.

According to data obtained by lawmaker Kim Mi-ae, a staggering 66.18 million doses, or 28.8% of the 229.64 million doses introduced since January 2020, have been disposed of. The primary reason cited is expiration, accounting for 99.4% of the discarded doses. The trend shows a concerning increase in discarded vaccines year over year, except for 2024, suggesting potential issues with procurement planning and inventory management.

“

Of the 229.64 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines introduced from January 2020 to the present, 152.66 million doses were administered, 10.24 million doses were donated overseas, and 66.18 million doses (28.8%) were discarded.

The KDCA attributes the situation to the need for early supply assurance and the decreased demand post-initial vaccination campaigns, coupled with evolving variants. They also noted efforts to mitigate waste through international donations, but acknowledged that expiration-driven disposal was inevitable. However, the agency's refusal to disclose the unit cost of discarded vaccines, citing confidentiality clauses in pre-purchase agreements, only fuels public concern about the financial implications of this waste.

“

The reason for disposal was mostly expiration (6581 cases, 99.4%).

Lawmaker Kim Mi-ae's call for a comprehensive review of vaccine management, from procurement to utilization and disposal, is timely. This incident underscores the need for a more robust and transparent system to prevent similar large-scale wastage of public funds in future public health crises. The focus must shift not only to securing necessary supplies but also to ensuring their efficient and effective use, minimizing waste, and maintaining public trust.

“

The disposal volume has shown an increasing trend every year except for last year, with 1.7 million doses in 2021, 10.07 million doses in 2022, 18.75 million doses in 2023, and 33.28 million doses in 2024.