Cancer patients who died after treated at RAH under spotlight

0
116

South Australia’s Deputy Coroner will hold an inquest into the deaths of two cancer patients treated by the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) where incorrect chemotherapy doses were given.

The court has released information that deputy state coroner Anthony Schapel will hold a directions hearing into the deaths of Christopher McRae, 67, and Johanna Pinxteren, 76.

He will examine whether they were given the incorrect dosage of a chemotherapy drug Cytarabine

The court said in a statement Mr McRae’s death certificate stated he died of acute myeloid leukaemia on November 22, 2015 and had been treated by the RAH.

“During the course of treatment a question arose concerning the possible incorrect dosage of a chemotherapy drug, Cytarabine,” the statement said.

Mrs Pinxteren died on June 23, 2015 and the cause of her death was stated on her death certificate as “e-coli bacteraemia secondary to refractory acute myeloid leukaemia”.

She had received the chemotherapy drug Cytarabine.

Earlier this year a review by the government department SA Health found five patients at the RAH and five at Flinders Medical Centre received one dose of a chemotherapy drug per day, instead of two, over a six-month period from July 2014 to January last year.

A directions hearing will be held on July 7.