Study: Injection Practices Need More Oversight

A new study finds that there is not enough being done about unsafe injection practices, which may lead to hepatitis outbreaks - similar to the one that occurred at Exeter Hospital in New Hampshire.

Investigators with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that such outbreaks lead to substantial costs for those affected, both the patients and healthcare systems, although information on the trend is lacking, according to The Hill.

The Centers for Disease Control said that there were at least 18 outbreaks of viral hepatitis linked to dangerous injection practices from 2001 to 2011. The agency believes this figure is conservative because of the difficulty in linking infections to specific healthcare facilities, according to The Hill.

The GAO recommends that federal health officials should improve data collection efforts on unsafe injection practices and related outbreaks, as well as strengthen public health campaigns on the issue.

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