At least 10 patients died in US hospital after nurse replaced fentanyl IV drips with tap water

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New Delhi: A tragic case has come to light at  Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, southern Oregon, United States, where as many as 10 patients are suspected to have died after a nurse allegedly exchanged fentanyl intravenous (IV) drips with tap water. The hospital’s officials alerted the authorities that they suspected a former employee of stealing medication, leading to an ongoing police investigation.

“There was concern that this behaviour resulted in adverse patient care, though the extent of the impact on those patients is yet to be determined,” Medford Police Lt. Geoff Kirkpatrick said in a statement.

9 to 10 patients admitted to hospital succumbed to infections

According to the report in NBC affiliate KOBI, 9 to 10 patients admitted at the hospital succumbed to infections, with sources indicating that the nurse manipulated the hospital’s supply of pain medication by replacing it with non-sterile tap water to conceal their misuse. The report suggested that the alleged swap done by the nurse dates back to at least the fall of 2022.

Family members of patients affected by this horrific incident were told by the hospital about the deaths being linked to infections resulting from tampering with their pain medication. The seriousness of these deaths prompted the Medford police to initiate an investigation involving possible negative patient care, including loss of life.

Police refrained from confirming actual cause of deaths

While the police stated concerns regarding the impact on patients, they refrained from confirming whether the deaths directly resulted from medication theft or tampering, Post reported. “We’re investigating whether or not that behaviour led to adverse patient care, which could be death, could be all sorts of other forms or things. … We don’t know that that resulted in deaths,” cops investigating the case were quoted as saying.

Health authorities stepped in to probe

Addressing the unfortunate situation, the hospital expressed its cooperation with law enforcement and its deep concern regarding the matter. As the investigation continues, the Oregon Health Authority has stepped in to probe “incidents that led to healthcare-associated infections that severely injured, and may have caused the deaths of, several patients.” Despite these developments, it remains ambiguous if any arrests have been made in connection to this deeply disconcerting episode.