Tuesday, January 15, 2013

New York Hospital Reuses Insulin Pens


Due to an oversight at the Buffalo Veterans Administration Medical Center in New York, more than 700 patients might be exposed to HIV and hepatitis.

A spokeswoman for the center said that the hospital had recently learned of some insulin pens that were not labeled for individual use.

As a result, a single pen may have been used on multiple patients.

A memo from the Department of Veterans Affairs stated that:

            "(The health system) determined that all veterans who were prescribed the insulin pen during an inpatient stay from October 19, 2010, to November 1, 2012, should be notified."

Dr. Robert A. Petzel of the Department of Veteran Affairs said that although it’s unlikely that an infection will be passed, it’s still possible.




No comments:

Post a Comment