Watered dowm chemotherepy in Ontairo and New Brunswick

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snowyday
snowyday Member Posts: 1,478

Has anyone received a letter yet from London Health Sciences regarding the diluted chemo drugs.  And if so what time period  did this happen.  I moved from London to the North and would not have received one of the "hand delivered" letters yet.  Anyone getting treatment from either place could you let the rest of us know the time period this happened.  The news is not telling anyone time period and they are also saying that "the chemo drug:" that was diluted with saline was not that important.  (What?)  Snowday  Sorry spelled Ontario wrong, oops.

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited April 2013

    The time period is from March 2012. Clinics affected are Oshawa, Peterborough, London, Windsor and Saint John Regional. Hoping you're not a recipient.

  • pip57
    pip57 Member Posts: 12,401
    edited April 2013

    How horrifying for these people.  

  • AlaskaAngel
    AlaskaAngel Member Posts: 1,836
    edited April 2013

    Hello Neighbors. I think it might help some to mention the drugs involved so that at least some people who weren't taking them won't panic.

    The report I saw online said the error made involved cyclophosphamide and gemcitabine. That isn't a common combination for those with a first diagnosis, so if they were making the mistake only when both drugs were being used together, that would reduce the number of people affected. If they mean that each drug was being reconstituted incorrectly and used independently, cyclophosphamide is a very commonly used drug so that would affect more people.

    I hope the pharmacy technician who caught it when so many others did not gets some very real support from all cancer patients and the medical system, for having the brains and the courage to pursue it in all of our behalf.

    I hope it gets lots of publicity because other medical facilities and companies could possibly make the same kind of mistake.

  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited April 2013

    Need to correct my first post. Apparently, this started in February 2012, not March.

  • liefie
    liefie Member Posts: 2,440
    edited April 2013

    Saw this on TV this morning, and I hope it is just a small group of people who are affected. This sucks, to say the least. One does not expect errrors like this to happen.

  • ChemicalWorld
    ChemicalWorld Member Posts: 172
    edited April 2013

    Alaska, my understanding is that the drugs were not used in combination, as I thought they said somewhere that both errors were present in the Ontario population, but that it was solely the cyclophosphamide that was used in the New Brunswick cases.

  • beth1965
    beth1965 Member Posts: 455
    edited April 2013

    Hi i got my call today i am one of the people they screwed up. i did not take those 2 chemo drugs i only had one cyclophosphamide. They said i have been effected and need to talk to my onc and they are sending info letters.

    It was part of my A/C Taxol dose dense chemo

  • marlyhalli
    marlyhalli Member Posts: 6
    edited April 2013

    Here is the info that has come out so far. A pharmacy technician in Oshawa noticed it, yet our hospitals did not notice for over a year!

    I am one of the 290 people effected in Windsor. I cannot explain how angry and disappointed I am.

    http://news.ca.msn.com/canada/video.aspx?cp-documentid=cbcc2013-0204-2130-0045-236908043000

  • snowyday
    snowyday Member Posts: 1,478
    edited April 2013

    Dear Beth 1965:  I am so sorry your on this list.  I wonder what the Onc's are recommending.  I am so glad that there are going to be some serious questions because of this happening.  The weird thing is, I remember my sister questioning a nurse about why my IV didn't look as yellow as the previous drip three weeks before.  I am thinking that is has happened for many years, I don't believe it was just a small time period.  I sure hope I am wrong.  I just know how the busy the nurses always were.  And how long so many of us had to wait for our treatment.  I would never blame the nurses in Canada, they weren't even told about the Baxter Pump recalls happening in 2007 right through to 2010.   I am a watcher of the FDA Enforcement reports and was always amazed at the drug and medical device recalls.  I have to say the FDA does a much better job a recalls and follow ups on Drugs, Medical Devices, Food etc.  I get my report each Wednesday and they are not just for the United States but cover all countries that any recalled "items" may be involved. 

    Betth, sorry got carried away,  I am prayiing for you and all others it's sad and scary.  Snowy.

  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited April 2013

    Beth - I thought of you the minute I heard this as I remembered us corresponding..I am so sorry to hear you were affected by this...prayers for you and all....   Denise

  • beth1965
    beth1965 Member Posts: 455
    edited April 2013

    Thanks everyone

    Waving hello to denise

    I am waiting for my onc to call me back with their decision whether to redo chemo.

    I hate the thought of doing chemo again but hate the thought of not having done enough. They said at DX i had alot of cancer in me and they needed to give all they got heavy duty treatment so this part is what worries me the most of whether i should or should'nt have chemo again.

    Hugs to all

    Should be interesting to hear what they have to say to me

  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited April 2013

    OMG, Beth.  Praying for the right decision for you.  How horrible for you and so many others to be

    in this predicament.

    It should indeed be interesting to hear what they have to say to you.

    Please keep us posted....   HUGS

  • jocanuck1951
    jocanuck1951 Member Posts: 1,003
    edited April 2013

    I'm in shock that this could happen!

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