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A government survey has found that 13,408 hospitals, clinics and other institutions violated a health ministry ban and reused blood-check devices for drawing a small amount of blood from fingertips, putting patients at risk of hepatitis and other infections. While no health problems have been reported due to the practice, which is employed to measure blood-sugar counts and other data for diabetics, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is urging people who may have been affected to contact the relevant institutions. The nationwide survey was conducted by the ministry following the revelation in May that a clinic in Shimane Prefecture was using needles for drawing blood on multiple patients. The health ministry issued a ban on the reuse of such blood-check devices in March 2006 following reports of hepatitis infections in... [read full story]
