NEWS RELEASE
Office of the Official Opposition
For Immediate Release
Cyclosporine errors much more serious than being conveyed by government
The discovery of errors at the Eastern Health lab involving cyclosporine are much more serious than originally stated and at least one young man is fighting for his life at the Janeway hospital as a result of these mistakes, says Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones.
Jones says she has been contacted by a family member of the young man who is being treated at the Janeway. This family member outlined the process they have been through over the past two weeks with Eastern Health and how toxic levels of cyclosporine could have been administered to their son.
“This is certainly a very tragic circumstance and the family is struggling with what is happening to one of their own,” said Ms. Jones. “They are very upset with how Eastern Health and government have been patting themselves on the back for communicating the information related to the errors publicly, but this is of little comfort as they wait in the hospital for any improvement in their son’s condition.
“This family’s tragic circumstance certainly raises the question of how many other people are in this young man’s situation and whether an accurate account has been given of what can happen as a result of cyclosporine poisoning. In a province where lab errors have already had a tremendous cost, we can only hope this most recent tragic situation will not be further downplayed in any way.”- 30 -
Media Contact:
Darrell Mercer
Director of Communications
Office of the Official Opposition
Tel: (709) 729-6151 or (709) 687-0477