A lawyer has asserted two Swedish Medical Center surgery patients have tested positive for hepatitis B, cases possibly linked to a drug theft issue at the hospital, according to a Denver7 report.
The Englewood, Colo.-based hospital offered nearly 3,000 patients free blood tests after Rocky Allen, a surgical technician at the hospital, was accused of diverting drugs, which put patients at risk of contracting bloodborne illnesses like HIV and hepatitis B and C.
The lawyer, Jim Avery, told Denver7 his patients did not have hepatitis B prior to their surgeries at Swedish.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment told Denver7 it could not comment on lab results from Swedish patients until the investigation is completed, which could be weeks to months from now.
Mr. Allen, the former surgical technician, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of tampering with a consumer product and obtaining a controlled substance by deceit, according to a CNN report.