Clinic That May Have Infected 40,000 With HIV, Hepatitis Closed

FOXNews.com ^ | Monday, March 03, 2008 | Associated Press

[metmom]

LOS ANGELES — The city of Las Vegas has shut down a clinic where up to 40,000 people may have been exposed to hepatitis C and the HIV virus through the reuse of syringes and vials, officials said on Sunday.

The clinic at the heart of the scandal, the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, "was served with an emergency suspension of its business license," city authorities said in a statement.

Officials are asking about 40,000 people to be tested for hepatitis B and C and HIV because of unsafe medical practices at the clinic.

Health authorities launched an investigation into the clinic after six former patients were diagnosed with hepatitis. Nurses at the clinic were told "to reuse syringes when administering anesthesia" and "to reuse vials of medication," the city said, citing a probe by public health agencies.

[metmom]

Health ping

[babble-on]

what happens intravenous stays intravenous

[PGalt]

Thanks for posting. Health/life BUMP!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Is this a government clinic?

[DManA]

Now I’m confused. I thought the clinic was in Las Vegas. Did they have a satellite facility in Los Angeles?

[Atomic Vomit]

"what happens intravenous stays intravenous"

Heh. If only.

AV

[DManA]

Never mind. I’ll get another cup of coffee.

[A CA Guy]

Holy cr@p, every doctor, administrator and nurse that reused stuff like that belongs with out their licenses and in jail. They should also remove all their assets and put them towards an account for the victims.

This is two steps shy of something you’d expect from Hitler Doctors.

[CaptainK]

The report was filed in Los Angeles. It happened in Vegas.

[Greg F]

Nurses were told to reuse syringes. That’s just wierd.

[DManA]

Thanks, I figured that out. This story has really hit me hard. That this can happen in this country reveals that we’re finally getting to where we’ve been heading for 50 years.

[DManA]

And they followed orders for years. Not one employee blew the whistle on this?

[taxcontrol]

Hint, if you are a health care worker and told, or asked, requirede to reuse syringes, 1) contact your lawyer right away and 2) update your resume and 3) contact your local health office.

[MizSterious]

The news is datelined LA, but it states the clinic was in LV.

[OKSooner]

That's an order that could turn out to be an order for murder - singular, multiple, or mass.

And the nurses went along with it. "I was only following orders from my superiors."

[dragnet2]

The city of Las Vegas has shut down a clinic where up to 40,000 people may have been exposed to hepatitis C and the HIV virus

Lets hope what happens in Las Vegas stays in Vegas.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Re-use of syringes is a major vector of HIV in Africa. For a nauseating browse, you can check out these articles. But that's the Third World, y'know, not like Las Vegas....

[dragnet2]

I thought the clinic was in Las Vegas.

You thought right.

[I_Like_Spam]

Very disquieting, if it is true.

Is there an union organizing campaign at this clinic? One of the supposed patients interviewed in another story about this is one Charles Rader. There is also a Charles Rader who is an official with the UFCW working on organizing Walmart. Could they possibly be the same person?

Excuse me for my cynicism, but this story just seems so out of the realm of typical medical protocol that something more pedestrian like a dirty trick just seems more likely.