Unsafe Injection Practices Lead To Viral Outbreaks
Nearly 100,000 people die every year as direct result of medical mistakes. While injectable medicines are necessary for the prevention and treatment of many serious illnesses, the CDC has reported 18 outbreaks of viral hepatitis that were associated with unsafe injection practices between 2001 and 2011.
Medical negligence in NY: unsafe injection practices
According to the Mayo Clinic, Hepatitis C is one of the most severe hepatitis viruses. Frequently asymptomatic, the disease goes unnoticed until patients suffer the effects of liver damage. Studies indicate that improper injection practices may be more rampant than we think, and such negligence may have caused the recent hepatitis outbreak in New Hampshire’s Exeter Hospital.
The lab technician accused of spreading the blood-borne disease at Exeter, David Kwiatkowski, may have injected himself with patients’ medications, leaving the used syringes behind for potential reuse. In response to these alarming outbreaks linked to unsafe injections, a medical officer at the CDC stated, “It’s rare, but it’s not rare enough. I don’t know why they continue to occur. It’s completely unacceptable. Health care should not be a mechanism for these kinds of infections.”
Patients who suffered harm caused by an improper injection or a contaminated syringe may be eligible for compensation. Experienced in the field of medical malpractice litigation, a New York personal injury lawyer at The Sanders Firm can help explain your legal rights.
CDC reports lapses in injection safety
Recent statistics show that failure to follow safe practices in administering IV medications and injections has resulted in some 30 outbreaks of infectious blood-borne disease, putting more than 125,000 patients at risk. Whether reusing syringes or employing the wrong technique with multi-dose vials, negligent injection practices place patients at increased risk for infections that can lead to life-threatening illness or even death.
Another CDC study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association involving 70 ambulatory surgical centers in three states found significant lapses in injection safety. Although the CDC provides healthcare practitioners with injection safety guidelines, recent viral outbreaks like the one in New Hampshire reveal the enormous impacts of a single mistake.
New York personal injury lawyer
If you suspect that you are a victim of medical negligence in NY, including improper injection practices in a clinic or hospital setting, you may be entitled to damages for pain and suffering, hospital expenses, lost income and other losses. Please contact The Sanders Firm to schedule your complimentary legal evaluation. Call toll-free: 1.800 FAIR PLAY (800.324.7752).
