Letters were being mailed Thursday to hundreds of cancer patients in the London region given diluted doses of chemotherapy drugs.
Tony LaRocca, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) vice-president of community and stakeholder relations, said the hospital has tried to reach all the patients by phone.
Cancer Care Ontario revealed Tuesday that four Ontario hospitals, including LHSC, had given patients lower-than-intended doses of two chemotherapy drugs ?? cyclophosphamide and gemcitabine.
London had the most patients affected ? 665.
Asked what treatment options the cancer patients face because of the error, hospital officials said medical personnel were too busy to respond.
?We?re staying 100% focused on patient interactions,? LaRocca wrote in an e-mail.
Dr. Carol Sawka, vice-president of Cancer Care Ontario, said treatment will vary.
?Each case is individual and affected patients will need to discuss any possible impacts with their oncologists,? she wrote in an e-mail.
The cancer drugs were purchased by LHSC from London-based MedBuy that acts as purchasing agent for member hospitals.
Thursday, MedBuy released a statement saying it?s investigating the situation in collaboration with hospitals and the supplier.
?Until that investigation is completed, we are not able to provide any additional comments,? the statement said.
Wynne?s comments came when she was at the official opening of the Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Thursday, along with her partner, who battled breast cancer.
Cancer Care Ontario announced Tuesday that 990 patients undergoing cancer treatment at LHSC, Windsor Regional Hospital, Lakeridge Health in Durham Region and Peterborough Regional Health Centre were given watered-down doses starting in February 2012. Another 200 patients in New Brunswick were also affected.
The patients received an estimated 3% to 20% less than prescribed by their doctors, Cancer Care Ontario said.
Cancer Care Ontario vice-president Dr. Carol Sawka said it?s impossible at this point to determine if these people suffered negative health outcomes because each case will have to be assessed individually by the patient?s oncologist.
?We?re all very keen to understand the source of the error and to put into place everything that is necessary to prevent this from happening again,? Sawka said.
Marchese Health Care supplied the drugs and has denied its solutions were defective.
The potentially toxic medication was mixed offsite at a private firm for safety reasons, Sawka said.
Health Minister Deb Matthews said the Ontario College of Pharmacists and Health Canada are also looking into the situation.
The college said it will pursue disciplinary action against any pharmacist or technician involved if inappropriate conduct is found responsible for the watered-down chemotherapy drugs.
The college said in a statement its members are held accountable if they fail to follow all relevant legislation and policies in dispensing medication.
College investigators are on-site at Marchese, the college said.
john.miner@sunmedia.ca
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AFFECTED HOSPITALS
London Health Sciences Centre: Since March 1, 2012.
665 patients
Windsor Regional Hospital: Since Feb. 24, 2012.
290 patients
Lakeridge Health (Durham Region): Since March 12, 2013.
37 patients
Peterborough Regional Health Centre: Since March 20, 2013.
1 patient
Source: http://www.lfpress.com/2013/04/04/hundreds-of-letters-mailed-out
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