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'Manipulated syringes' infect several Roswell Park patients

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center says several patients developed an infection after an employee removed a narcotic from syringes and replaced it with water.

Roswell Park Chief Medical Officer Doctor Boris Kuvshinoff says the hospital "can confirm...an episode of narcotic diversion...earlier this year."

Kuvshinoff says no deaths resulted from the manipulated syringes, the infected patients were treated with appropriate antibiotics and the employee is no longer employed at Roswell Park.

He says all patients who might have received medications from the altered syringes have been notified and that the incident reflects the "wide-ranging ramifications" of "the opioid crisis in our region."

Because of this, Kuvshinoff says the incident has been reported to local, state and federal authorities, is under active investigation and the hospital will not be commenting further.

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