Company that mixed diluted drugs not in 'grey' area, but fixes needed: expert

TORONTO - The expert investigating diluted chemotherapy drugs says he personally doesn't feel companies that mix drugs for hospitals fell into a jurisdictional grey area.

Dr. Jake Thiessen told an Ontario legislative committee Monday that the service is part of the "customary" evolution of services that professionals provide.

He says it's a sense of entrusting to professionals things that professionals know most about, which is common in dentistry and medicine as well.

Thiessen says the current system has served people well for many years, but things could slip between the cracks.

He says it may be time to solidify the licensing standards, education requirements and experience for these companies.

Thiessen says he'll deliver his report to the Ontario government by July 12.

Health Minister Deb Matthews has said she'll make it public.

Marchese Hospital Solutions prepared the drug-and-saline mixture that was supplied to four hospitals in Ontario and one in New Brunswick.

Extra saline in the bags containing cyclophosphamide and gemcitabine effectively watered down the prescribed drug concentrations by up to 20 per cent.

Some of the 1,200 cancer patients affected were receiving the diluted drugs for as long as a year.

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Company that mixed diluted drugs not in 'grey' area, but fixes needed: expert