reast cancer tests finally resume in St. John's
CBC News Posted: Jul 6, 2011 11:30 AM ET Last Updated: Jul 6, 2011 1:58 PM ET
Eastern Health CEO Vickie Kaminski said the authority has learned much from lab testing errors. (CBC)
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The largest health authority in Newfoundland and Labrador said Wednesday it is able to resume reportable hormone receptor tests for breast cancer, six years after errors were discovered that led to one of Canada's biggest health scandals.
Eastern Health - which was rocked by a judicial inquiry that uncovered revelations of poor training and neglectful management - said it is now able to safely conduct the two hormone receptor tests that were halted in 2005, when problems with them were first flagged.
The public was not initially told much about errors with the estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor tests, which are also known as ER/PR tests, and officials downplayed the significance of lab errors.
A CBC News report that showed Eastern Health officials knew the problem was much worse than had been disclosed led then premier Danny Williams to appoint Justice Margaret Cameron to oversee an inquiry into what went wrong.
"We have full confidence today that Eastern Health is well-positioned to provide a high level of quality, safe testing for these patients," Eastern Health CEO Vickie Kaminski said Wednesday.
For the last six years, ER-PR tests have been conducted at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.
More testing underway
Kaminski also announced Wednesday that Eastern Health is also now able to do testing for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) testing, which has become a standard part of assessment for breast cancer patients.
ER-PR tests are usually done to determine whether a cancer patient can benefit from the potent antihormonal drug Tamoxifen, which can extend or even save lives but which can cause harm to others.
About 425 breast cancer patients in Newfoundland and Labrador had been given inaccurate hormone receptor tests between 1997 and 2005. By the time the commission started, 108 of those patients had died. It's not known how many patients might have been helped by different treatment.
The Cameron inquiry showed that lab staff had not been trained properly for ER/PR testing and that lab practices were shoddy. Cameron also slammed how Eastern Health oversaw the lab and responded once staff flagged errors. The inquiry noted there had been "a failure of both accountability and oversight at all levels."
Cameron's report prompted the government to invest heavily in an overhaul of Eastern Health's labs, including $3.1 million for new or upgraded equipment. About $900,000 has been spent "to increase laboratory support staff and education."
In 2010, a St. John's judge approved a $17.5-million settlement between Eastern Health and cancer patients.
Kaminski said Eastern Health continues to work on items in the class action settlement, including the creation of a patient advisory council.
"On behalf of Eastern Health, I do offer a heartfelt and sincere apology to our patients impacted by ER/PR, to their families and, in general, to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador," Kaminski said in a statement Wednesday.
"I also want to assure everyone that we have learned from the events surrounding ER/PR testing and are moving forward to provide safer, higher quality care to the people we serve."
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