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On May 21, Catskill Regional Medical
Center (CRMC) in Harris, N.Y., issued a news release warning some patients of
possible HIV and hepatitis exposure, because the center may have re-used
insulin pens on more than one patient between 2007 and May 2013. CRMC Spokesperson
Rob Lee said they discovered this issue during “routine nursing education on
the use of insulin pens.” In the news release, the center stated, “While CRMC
is not aware of any contamination between patients, as a precautionary measure
CRMC is recommending that those patients be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis
C, and HIV.” Lee further noted that CRMC is ascertaining how many patients
might have been exposed and will send letters to the affected patients.
According to a 2012 CDC alert, an
insulin pen is designed to be used several times, but should never be used on
more than one patient. Although a new needle is used on each injection, blood
can find its way into the insulin cartridge, producing the risk of a pathogen
being transmitted from one patient to another. In 2009, after a report that
patients were exposed at a Texas hospital, the Food and Drug Administration
issued a notice to healthcare professionals that the pens should be used on
only one patient.
This past winter, two western New
York hospitals reported health scares due to the shared use of insulin pens.
The Buffalo News reported that 700 patients at Buffalo Veterans Hospital could
have been exposed, and the Olean General Hospital announced that 1,915 persons
might have been exposed since 2009. Three Oleans patients claimed they
contracted hepatitis and have filed a lawsuit against the hospital. However,
Oleans Hospital has denied that those patients contracted hepatitis through the
pens, according to the Buffalo News. Officials described the risk of
transmission as low.
CRMC patients should call
1–800–277–4221 to schedule a blood test or ask questions.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
