Several patients at Buffalo, N.Y.-based Roswell Park Cancer Comprehensive Cancer Center developed an infection after an employee swapped a narcotic drug from syringes with water, and the patients were injected with the syringes, according to The Buffalo News.
It is not clear how many patients were affected by the incident.
"We believe that narcotic was removed from syringes and replaced with water by a single individual who is no longer employed at Roswell Park," said Boris Kuvshinoff, MD, CMO at Roswell. The incidents happened earlier this year, Dr. Kuvshinoff said.
The hospital did not provide information about the identity or employment title of the former employee involved.
Patients received antibiotics, and the hospital notified all affected patients, according to WGRZ. No patient deaths resulted from the alleged narcotic-swapping.
The issue is under active investigation, Dr. Kuvshinoff said.