Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Contaminated Endoscopy Exposure May Show Positive Years Later

Report No. 09-01784-146 June 16, 2009 VA Office of Inspector General
According to the VAOIG Report No. 09-01784-146 dated June 16, 2009, following exposure to hepatitis B, C and HIV it could take " a prolonged time period, e.g., months to years for such infection to become apparent."

Given this fact, we are again urging all those exposed to get tested and continue to get tested in accordance with the advise of your private physician.

Also of note is that if you experienced illness within days of your endoscopy procedure, get your medical records because you may have suffered from a “bacterial cross contamination" which "would result in illness within days of the endoscopy.”

Senators Akaka & Burr Call for VA Changes Due to Repeated Endoscopy Failures

Senators Akaka & Burr Call for VA Changes Due to Repeated Endoscopy Failures

Top senator calls for structural changes at VA

By BEN EVANS – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee [Democratic Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii] is calling for more centralized control of the VA medical system after recent breakdowns in cleaning colonoscopy equipment exposed thousands of veterans to the risk of contracting HIV and other infections.

Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, noted that the VA has issued a string of safety alerts for endoscopic equipment since 2003, yet mistakes have persisted. He said the system's culture must change.

The Associated Press