ANKARA

Health authorities in Spain’s Basque Country confirmed Thursday that expired doses of the childhood hexavalent vaccine were administered to 253 patients, mostly infants, with the lapse identified Jan.15, within the region’s public health system.

Osakidetza, the Basque public health service responsible for delivering health care across the region, reported the incident through the official Basque government’s online portal, euskadi.eus.

Basque Health Minister Alberto Martinez outlined immediate actions taken following the discovery, and said consultations with the national medicines agency AEMPS, the Basque Vaccine Advisory Council and the vaccine manufacturer concluded that the expired doses pose no health risks or adverse effects to recipients.

In Spain’s system of regional autonomy, the Basque Country holds self-government over health policy and services through its own Department of Health and Osakidetza.

The central Spanish government maintains national regulatory oversight on medicines and broad health standards via AEMPS, but day-to-day implementation and response to local incidents remain under Basque control.