Lubeck Disaster

About Lubeck Disaster

In 1930, about 250 infants in Lubeck, Germany received BCG vaccine contaminated with virulent tuberculosis bacteria. More than 70 infants died. Investigation revealed that the vaccine had been accidentally contaminated at the local laboratory where it was prepared. The BCG strain itself was not the cause; the laboratory had inadequate quality control. The Lubeck disaster was a devastating setback for BCG vaccination. Trials of BCG in Germany were suspended for years. The incident led to much stricter quality control for vaccine production. Despite the disaster, BCG vaccination continued in other countries and eventually became the most widely administered vaccine in the world. The Lubeck case is a reminder of the critical importance of manufacturing quality control in vaccine production and the consequences of failures in that process.