former patients sue ny hospital over insulin pens

Associated Press Former patients sue NY hospital over insulin pens Staff Writer AP
February 27, 2013

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Three former patients of a western New York hospital say they contracted hepatitis because the hospital misused multi-dose insulin pens. A lawsuit announced Tuesday against Olean General Hospital and several insulin pen manufacturers comes after authorities say at least 12 people tested positive for hepatitis C after being screened by the Cattaraugus County hospital. The hospital last month notified 1,915 former patients that they may have been exposed to HIV or hepatitis B or C through the sharing of multi-dose insulin pens from November 2009 through January this year. Hospital spokesman Dennis McCarthy says the hospital hasn't yet seen the lawsuit. But he says there's no evidence that those who tested positive for hepatitis were exposed because pens meant for one patient were used on multiple people.

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