Chemo patients in Chatham, Sarnia affected by IV issue will not require retreatment
None of the patients in Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton identified in a Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) review of improper dosage of chemotherapy drugs will require retreatment.
The review found hundreds of cancer patients in dozens of hospitals may not have received the full amount of chemotherapy drug prescribed to them, due to longer IV tubing and changed pumps.
Of the 28 hospitals which identified the 1,000 patients potentially affected by the issue, two were located in CBC Windsor's coverage area: the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) and Bluewater Health, which services Sarnia-Lambton.
Lori Marshall, president and CEO of CKHA, said they identified five patients that may have been affected by the issue.
"We have ... determined it would not have negatively impacted on those particular individuals, so there is no requirement for a different level of treatment," she said.
"Four of the five individuals we have disclosed to ... one individual is diseased and we're in the process of looking for that individual's next of kin ... so we can provide them with this information."
At Bluewater Health, Julia Oosterman, chief of communications and public affairs said the review identified "literally a handful" of patients, and that none would require retreatment.
When contacted by CBC News, the Canadian Cancer Society sent the following statement:
"The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) cares about the well-being of cancer patients and their families who are coping with the stress of cancer treatment. We advise concerned patients to contact the hospital where they were treated to address specific concerns and answer questions. CCS can help answer cancer-related questions and provide support through our Cancer Information Service."
