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 The
Brian Lara Cancer Treatment Centre (the Centre) deeply regrets the most
unfortunate event which has resulted in a general misunderstanding of
the administration of radiation in the care of cancer patients and the
resulting emotional distress caused to our patients who may have
received up to a maximum of 13.9% more than the prescribed dose of
radiation.
We regret that
there was a miscalibration of our treatment machine but we are thankful
that the miscalibration was not significant enough to be harmful to any
of the patients. We are pleased to advise that all of these patients
have been reviewed and continue to be monitored for any possible side
effects and to date, 13-25 months after treatment, these patients
continue not to show any related side-effects or illness.
We wish to be
very clear in communicating with the public what is and remains the
position of the Centre. No new information has materialized to disprove
our position and we reserve the right to defend the professional
integrity of our staff and that of the Centre as a reputable
institution providing world-class care; and to safeguard our patients
privacy, well-being and right to proper care.
The
basic facts:
1.
The lack of availability of a
senior physicist locally necessitated recruitment at premium rates
significantly above market rate with associated relocation and
retention costs. The Centre was committed to paying such rates to
manage its very costly high-end equipment, and to provide best-in-class
specialist care at all times. Both the former Clinical Director and
former Senior Radiation Physicist in question were recruited at premium
rates.
2.
The Centre found itself in a
continuous bargaining position with two former key personnel. This
coupled with other unacceptable behaviours and conduct by these
persons, led to their separation from the company.
3.
The Centre believes that subject to
this less than amicable separation, that its records were interfered
with and its machinery tampered with in an effort to bring its
operations into disrepute.
4.
When an annual QA was performed in
June 2010 the machine was immediately recalibrated and since that time
all daily, weekly, monthly and annual QA testing have at all times
shown the machine to be accurately calibrated. On July 5,
2011, the Centre received its monthly TLD check from Radiation
Dosimetry Services, M.D. Anderson Cancer Treatment Centre of Houston,
Texas, U.S.A. which confirmed accurate calibration of the Centres
linear accelerator.
5.
The Centre regrets that some
patients may have experienced variations in their prescribed dosages,
but is assured that these patients did not receive any radiation
treatment outside a safe or permissible range as defined by
international standards. The Centre continues to monitor and evaluate
all patients in keeping with its usual practice and will continue to do
so.
6.
The Centres records reflect that
only about 5 patients have exhibited symptoms that have merited closer
follow up or monitoring. After 13-25 months of continuous care and
monitoring, no patient has presented with any symptoms of excessive
radiation.
7.
The Centre was constrained in
speaking directly to the public about the PAHO report but nevertheless
conducted immediate follow-up and/or review with all patients in its
care.
8.
The Centre was fully cooperative
with a Ministry of Health investigation in September 2010, and provided
all records, reports and logs to international agency PAHO. PAHO did
not provide any conclusions with respect to the miscalibration but
simply reported a summary of the findings of the multiple physicists
that were retained by the Centre, including the findings of the
previously employed physicist whose report was under query. The PAHO
consultants also made measurements and indicated a possible variation
in dosage of up to 11%.
9.
PAHO made recommendations to ensure
that a similar incident does not re-occur and the Centre has adopted
all of those recommendations.
10.
The Centre has sought a number of
opinions on the issue of misadministration, including PAHO itself and a
number of USA state authorities. The Centre has been encouraged by the
information and feedback garnered. In this regard, the Centre is
confident that patients did not receive any radiation treatment outside
a safe or permissible range as defined by international standards.
The Centre is
assured that that even with the variation in dosages administered that
the levels of radiation never exceeded tolerable ranges and any
variation was below the level that would be considered a
misadministration of radiation.
The Centre
welcomes any intervention by the government that would bolster
confidence in Trinidad and Tobago as a world-class location for medical
care, including a regulatory body for the industry.
Dr. Kongshiek Achong Low/span>------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Dinesh Mor
Executive Chairman,
Medcorp Limited--------------------------------------
Chairman, Cancer Centre of the Caribbean Limited
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