Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham is facing a class-action lawsuit after about 450 patients were potentially exposed to infection due to the improper administration of an intravenous drug.
Salem (Mass.) Hospital alerted a small portion of its endoscopy patients — about 450 individuals — of the infection risk, which hospital leaders and state health officials say is "extremely small." To date, no infections have been reported.
The lawsuit, filed Nov. 16, accuses Mass General Brigham of negligently administering intravenous medications to patients. The lead plaintiff, Melinda Cashman, underwent an endoscopic procedure at Salem Hospital sometime between June 14, 2021, and April 19, 2023, and was subjected to a "heightened risk of exposure to those life-threatening infections," according to the suit.
"We are aware of, and reviewing, it," a spokesperson for Mass General Brigham said of the lawsuit.
Salem Hospital is offering affected patients free testing for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C — standard tests for this type of potential exposure.