Fourth chemo bungle victim dies as coroner’s inquest into underdosing begins
THE death of a fourth victim from the chemotherapy dosing bungle has been added to a coronial inquest, which has heard damning expert evidence on the medical failure.
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- Knox told on his birthday his cancer had returned
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- How a ‘typo’ denied cancer patients full treatment
- Brave chemotherapy bungle victim Bronte Higham dies
- Inquest into chemo bungle deaths halted for specialist reports
THE death of a fourth victim from the chemotherapy dosing bungle has been added to a coronial inquest, which has heard damning expert evidence on the medical failure.
The death of Carol Bairnsfather, 70, at the Royal Adelaide Hospital on Friday, has pushed the known relapse rate of the underdosed victims to 70 per cent, which is approaching the limits of the expected relapse rate for the serious disease.
ANALYSIS: Straight answers show up chemo bungle
Deputy State Coroner Anthony Schapel made the order on Tuesday to expand the inquest because he believed her circumstances — too little chemotherapy and a subsequent relapse — were so similar to what happened to Chris McRae, Bronte Higham and Johanna Pinxteren.
“In my opinion the issues regarded the causes and circumstances of the death of Mrs Bairnsfather are so connected with the deaths of the other three,” Mr Schapel said.
Of the ten acute myeloid leukaemia patients who were underdosed, four have died, three more have relapsed and the fate of three more is unknown.
An expert witness, Professor John Gibson, gave damning evidence about the failure of senior cancer clinicians at the RAH and FMC to notice for seven months that the chemotherapy was being given only once a day instead of twice.
Mr Schapel asked if the protocol for this phase of treatment was always twice daily, how an experienced clinician could not notice.
“I can’t answer that easily because I am unfamiliar with how processes were at the RAH and Flinders,” Prof Gibson said.
However he said he worked in a clinical environment (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in NSW) where such a mistake could not happen.
“If I made a mistake, for example, I’d probably have three people straight away calling me,” he said. “It’s failsafe.”
Prof Gibson also said he would not rely on a protocol — the source of the once a day error — because he “had been around long enough” and knew that the drug, Cytarabine, was always administered twice at this phase of treatment.
The inquest heard that as well as receiving only half the recommended dose, the wrongful 24-hour lapse between doses may have further compromised the patients’ recovery by rendering the drug inactive.
Prof Gibson said in terms of statistical outcomes, a single dose of the drug Cytarabine daily was less than optimal for patient recovery and may not achieve what it was meant to.
Counsel for relapsed patient Andrew Knox, Mark Griffin QC, sought to further widen the inquest to include the treatment of the other six patients.
Mr Griffin contended the records of those still living should be part of the inquiry however counsel for the Crown Solicitor, Todd Golding, signalled problems with patient confidentiality and accessing records.
The hearing continues on Wednesday.
The family of Bronte Higham, meanwhile, hopes the inquest will get to the truth of what happened to the chemotherapy victims.
Ricki Higham, flanked by her children Kym and Jodi, said her family had been affected deeply by the way Bronte died.
Mr Higham survived for almost two years after his diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia and died last August, but not before successfully demanding patients be compensated.
“Having to relive it over and over is not easy for any of us,” she said.
She said the Coroner had the power to discover the truth as far as was possible although a judicial inquiry would go further.
“So far, the truth has evaded us because of the behaviour of the Government,” she said.
“We need the truth to allow closure so families and loved ones can grieve in peace.”
Mrs Higham and Rebecca Emery, the daughter of Chris McRae who died in November 2015, paid tribute to victim Andrew Knox who has campaigned for the rights of the families but is seriously ill in the QEH.
“He’s been with us and he is always in our thoughts,” Ms Emery said.
“I think he has been particularly stoic. He has been our backbone throughout this whole journey.”
Grieving family wants the truth
BRONTE Higham’s family hopes the inquest will get to the truth of what happened to the chemotherapy victims.
Ricki Higham, supported by her children Kym and Jodi, yesterday said her family had been deeply affected by the way her husband died.
Mr Higham survived for almost two years after his diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia and died last August – but not before successfully demanding that patients be compensated. “Having to relive it over and over is not easy for any of us,” she said.
She said the Coroner had the power to discover the truth as far as was possible, although a judicial inquiry would go further.
“The truth has evaded us because of the behaviour of the Government,” she said.
“We need the truth to allow closure so families and loved ones can grieve in peace.” Mrs Higham and Rebecca Emery, the daughter of Chris McRae who died in November 2015, paid tribute to victim Andrew Knox who has campaigned for the rights of the families but is seriously ill in the QEH.
“He’s been with us and he is always in our thoughts,” Ms Emery said. “I think he has been particularly stoic. He has been our backbone throughout this whole journey.”