Disaster Relief Vaccine Return Program
This section can help you become familiar with the Merck Disaster Relief Vaccine Return Program.
Be prepared
Become familiar with the Merck Disaster Relief Vaccine Return Program before you need it.
For customers in states/counties designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as Major Disasters, Merck will allow a limited exception to its standard return policy for Merck vaccine products. In these situations, Merck will issue a credit for certain of its vaccines that were damaged or spoiled, as a result of the Major Disaster, if the vaccines are not covered by the customer’s insurance policy.
Such damaged or spoiled vaccines must be returned with a letter from the customer’s insurance carrier stating that the vaccines were not covered by any insurance plan. Merck vaccines received through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program are not eligible for reimbursement under the Merck Disaster Relief Vaccine Return Program. VFC Program vaccines should be returned to the customer’s state immunization project.
For answers to questions about Merck vaccines that may have been exposed to unusual storage conditions, as a result of a Major Disaster, call the Merck National Service Center at 800.NSC.MERCK (800.672.6372). Storage and handling information for all Merck vaccines is available at: Storage and handling
Vaccine return form request
To request the appropriate Disaster Relief Vaccine Return Program form, please contact the Merck Vaccine Customer Center
Post-disaster
Assess the situation
Identify any potentially compromised Merck vaccines.1
Call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 800.621.FEMA (800.621.3362) to ask if your state/county has been declared a Major Disaster. A listing of FEMA Major Disaster Declarations is also available at: FEMA Declared Disasters
Call your insurance company for documentation of its determination that your lost or spoiled vaccines are not covered by your insurance policy.
Preserve vaccines
For answers to questions about the use of a Merck vaccine that may have been exposed to storage conditions other than those described in the Prescribing Information, please contact the Merck National Service Center at 800.NSC.MERCK (800.672.6372).
Separate and clearly mark any compromised Merck vaccine from your unaffected vaccine inventory.1
Do not discard any Merck vaccine; follow the Merck Vaccine Customer Center’s instructions.1
Replace vaccines as necessary
Complete and enclose the proper paperwork for any Merck vaccine to be returned pursuant to the Merck Disaster Relief Vaccine Return Program.
For vaccines received through a state Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, contact your local public health department or your state immunization project. Merck vaccines received through the VFC Program are not eligible for reimbursement under the Merck Disaster Relief Vaccine Return Program.
For questions about Merck vaccines, call the Merck Vaccine Customer Center at 877.VAX.MERCK (877.829.6372).
Emergency contact information
Government contact information
Federal Disaster Assistance Contacts
CDC Contact Center
CDC’s Vaccines and Immunizations
Vaccines for Children Program (VFC)
State/Territory VFC Coordinators
Merck phone numbers
Merck National Service Center
Merck Vaccine Customer Center
Reference
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vaccine storage and handling (Appendix C). In: Atkinson W, Wolfe C, Hamborsky J, eds. Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. 13th ed. Washington, DC: Public Health Foundation; 2015:63-73.