A private clinic in Toronto which has faced criticism for providing paying clients with swine flu vaccinations says it will now open up its immunizations to the general public free of charge.

Representatives from the Medcan clinic told CTV News Toronto Saturday that they would ask Toronto Public Health on Sunday to begin referring high-risk patients to their downtown offices.

It wasn't immediately clear when non-paying patients would start arriving at Medcan's office, which is located in the heart of the city's financial district.

The clinic said on Friday that its high-risk customers have been able to access the vaccine without lineups, even receiving valet parking.

However, to be added to the clinic's list of 40,000 clients and receive the shot, customers must first undergo a "comprehensive assessment" which costs $2,300 and is not covered by OHIP, a spokesperson from the clinic said.

In recent days, Torontonians have become increasingly frustrated with the city's public vaccination facilities. On Saturday, hundreds of people waiting for shots at two centres were sent home because demand was too large.

Lineups stretched into the thousands and many people waited in the rain for hours only to be turned away empty handed.

Meanwhile, Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews says she will review the practice of allowing private clinics to administer the swine flu vaccine for patients who pay in advance.

Matthews' comments came in an interview with CTV Toronto's Paul Bliss Saturday evening. She also said that the clinic's operations would be reviewed by government officials once the rush for vaccines had subsided.

Medcan applied early for the doses and received about 3,000 of them from Toronto Public Health. If new clients are deemed to be in the high-risk group, they can then be immunized without waiting in line. They even receive valet parking.

The distribution of the vaccine was left to local public health offices across the province, which may explain why some family doctors have the vaccine while others do not, CTV Toronto's John Musselman reported.

Though Medcan has said that only high-risk patients have been immunized, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath decried the vaccinations so far completed as unfair.

Health officials are also warning that they do not know how many doses the city will receive in coming weeks.

In the meantime, only high risk patients will be given the vaccination. High risk groups are described as the following:

  • pregnant women
  • children between six months and five years of age
  • people under age 65 with chronic conditions
  • caregivers
  • health-care workers

With a report from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney