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End multidose vial use

Feb 1, 2008 | Staff | Newsday

The negligent use of multidose medicine vials may have been responsible for a Dix Hills doctor infecting several patients with hepatitis C. In light of that notorious case, it makes good sense for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to bar the manufacture and distribution of multidose vials.

That's what State Health Commissioner Richard Daines recommended at a discussion on infection control held at Hofstra University Wednesday, and we fully agree.

Medical experts warn that syringes should not be used more than once in dispensing medication, as Dr. Harvey Finkelstein of Dix Hills did. But even if they are used repeatedly, the risk of spreading infection is minimized by eliminating multidose vials.

Two weeks ago, the state revealed that Dr. E. Jacob Simhaee, a Manhasset obstetrician-gynecologist, had reused syringes in a multidose vial when dispensing a flu vaccine, though he did not spread infections.

Using single-dose vials may cost a bit more. And it may lead to some waste, if the right dosage for a patient is greater than one vial but less than two.

But those are not persuasive objections. At the very least, while the FDA considers the ban, it should encourage the use of syringes that can't be reused, as many suggest. That's only common sense.