Hearing Set to Explore Botched VA Prostate Cancer Treatments

Congressional leaders plan to hold a hearing next week to further investigate reports of serious errors committed during prostate cancer treatments at a Philadelphia-area Veterans Affairs hospital.

More than 100 veterans are suspected of receiving either too much or too little radiation therapy during treatments between 2002 and 2008 at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center. Hospital officials are accused of knowing they were improperly administering brachytherapy treatments, but failing to correct the mistake for years, further exposing veterans to the risk of injuries.

The hospital’s prostate cancer treatment program has since been shut down. Similar treatment programs have also been shuttered at three other VA hospitals where less serious infractions also occurred, VA officials said.

Officials to Seek Answers

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) said he plans to hold a hearing in Philadelphia on June 29 to examine reports of “egregious errors” in the treatment of veterans at the Philadelphia VA hospital.

“These allegations are very serious,” Specter said, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer report. “They deserve a full and prompt review, and that’s what we intend to do at this hearing.”

Specter said word of the mishandling of prostate cancer treatments has left veterans seeking answers.

“The news accounts have created a great deal of concern in the veterans’ community,” Specter said. “They report very serious problems and . . . it is a matter for congressional oversight. We need to find out what happened.”

U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-N.J.), who serves on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, will also participate in the meeting, officials said. Other federal officials are expected to be attendance as well.

Other VA Problems

Earlier this year, VA facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida were associated with improperly cleaning and use of medical equipment during colonoscopies, possibly exposing thousands of veterans to HIV, hepatitis, and other life-threatening infections. Workers rinsed but did not properly sanitize tubing and other medical equipment used to administer colonoscopies.

More than 10 veterans who were given colonoscopies at the VA medical centers have tested positive for hepatitis, but officials said they may never know if the patients were infected due to the unsanitary conditions at the hospitals.

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