The second stage of the Panamanian government's investigation into a fatal radiation therapy accident at the National Oncologic Institute in Panama began today, news agency La Prensa has reported.
Eight deaths have been reported so far among pelvic cancer patients who received radiation overdoses during radiotherapy treatment between August 2000 and February 2001.
Health ministry officials met today with the technical health advisory panel, the body responsible for identifying the role of each clinic staff member implicated in the accident, La Prensa said.
The health ministry's general director, Esteban Morales, said that since it is now known that there was a human error at the moment the radiotherapy application procedure was changed, what must now be determined is the why the change took place, whether someone ordered it, and whether or not there was supervision at the moment the procedure was changed, according to La Prensa.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersJune 7, 2001
Related Reading
Eight reported dead in Panama after radiation therapy, June 6, 2001
Investigation continues in fatal Panama radiation therapy accident, May 29, 2001
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