Consumer Law

South Dakota Urology Center Reused Disposable Medical Equipment, Exposing Thousands to Disease

By Andy Hoffman

Imagine you?re having bladder or urinary problems, go to the doctor and get some tests that are performed with equipment used by other sick patients.  And then you get a letter from the clinic saying they?re now offering you new tests to see if you HIV or hepatitis C, stating how ?deeply sorry? they are, and ?if you have any concerns, we recommend that you consult with a physician."

An apology, how nice.  Luckily, some of these 5,000 patients decided also to consult with an attorney.  The culpable clinic sits on the border of Iowa and South Dakota, and its owners are now being sued by some Iowa residents who are seeking class action status.  Apparently even the South Dakota Department of Health has confirmed that the clinic used ?single-use products such as saline solution bags and tubing on more than one patient before being discarded.?

Sound familiar?  It should.  This is a terrible case of déjà vu all over again.  Think Nevada, New York and New Jersey, and the VA, which have also played host to medical clinics that reused medical equipment, exposing numerous patients to blood-borne disease.

Full post as published by ThePopTort on April 20, 2009 (boomark / email).