Great. Buffalo’s VAMC is in the news again. This time they are attempting a redux of the venerable jetgun using one-patient insulin pens again and again on multiple patients.

Their feeble plaint? “We changed the needles before reusing the pens”. Wow, have they been living in a time warp somewhere? On an ordinary syringe, it’s been a bozo no-no for decades now to take the needle off and replace it with another and keep on shooting.  Where do they find these employees? Where do they post the circular explaining sanitary protocol?

Mark my words. VA will assign a .0000000021%  potential of cross contamination among the affected Vets even if 20 of them come down with HCV from this. One thing they’ll never do is check to verify genotype and RNA markers to find out if it’s an identical strain. They don’t invite §1151 claims down on themselves if they can obfuscate their way through it.

Why is it with each new innovation, VA continues to use the “10¢ holding up a dollar” technology. Epi pens, junkies’ IV gear and insulin pens should all share one common philosophy. You do not share them. If you do, the chance of contamination is a given. If you shared a straw with your buddy indulging in Peru’s number one export even once, you have contaminated yourself and will never get service connection for hepatitis. However, if you get reused insulin pen shots down at the Buffalo shoot-and-go, your chances of ever picking up the bug are slim and none. Can someone explain how that works?