Dr Grygiel, Hung out to dry in chemo scandal?

Prior to the airing of the 7:30 Report's story on a chemo under-dosing scandal at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Professor John Grygiel had received assurances from Hospital administration that he had their full support. He was told that "...the segment would not name me or anyone else personally, and that it was not a finger-pointing exercise. I was informed that the Hospital completely supported me and my clinical decisions, and that they would not ‘hang me out to dry’."
The report revealed that seventy cancer patients at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital have been given incorrect doses of a chemotherapy drug, carboplatin, for up to three years. Dr Grygiel had prescribed the same flat dosage of the drug carboplatin to patients with head and neck cancer without adjusting their individual test results and characteristics, according to the report aired on Thursday night.
Dr Grygiel was advised by the Hospital to decline commenting on the story and he subsequently released a written statement published by the ABC on the 7:30 Report website. In his statement, Dr Grygiel refutes some of the assertions of the report.
Dr Grygiel contends, "Contrary to Dr Gallagher’s statements on the 730 program , I had not been ‘disciplined’ in relation to this allegation; nor had I been placed under any supervision in my treatment of patients. Prior to the airing of the 730 Report, Dr Gallagher has never expressed to me, verbally or in writing, any dissatisfaction with my treatment. Dr Gallagher, together with the more senior hospital staff, confirmed that my treatment was appropriate. Dr Gallagher did not speak to me about this allegation since about December 2015 when again he didn’t express any dissatisfaction," he says.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that when St Vincent's became aware of the dosage issue they launched an internal investigation and independent review - conducted by a leading medical oncologist from interstate. Both the investigation and the review found that the dosage discrepancies had no adverse impact on the outcomes of the patients involved.
Regardless of the outcome, with Dr Grygiel's reputation now flapping in the wind, it might be helpful to reflect on the implications for medical staff who catch the attention of the media when there is a breakdown in corporate governance.
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References:
- 70 cancer patients prescribed wrong chemotherapy dose for three years at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. Feb 18. The Sydney Morning Herald.
- Inquiry launched into St Vincent's Hospital chemotherapy dosage scandal. Feb 23. ABC 7:30 Report.