Unsafe Injection Practices at Valley Pain Management Place Patients at Great Risk: Linda Bordas Urges Patients to Seek Testing

Unsafe Injection Practices at Valley Pain Management Place Patients at Great Risk: Linda Bordas Urges Patients to Seek Testing

The news recently broke that Valley Pain Management in McMechen, West Virginia has been reusing needles and using the same vial of medicine or saline on more than one patient. Even those who use intravenous drugs know that the first rule of "shooting up" is to always use a new needle. So how could medically trained professionals fail to follow this simple rule?

Valley Pain Management is run by Dr. Roland Chalifoux, a doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Chalifoux practiced in Texas until his license was revoked because of his substandard treatment of patients. He was originally brought up on charges of providing substandard care to thirteen patients. The Board found that the care was bad enough in three of those cases to revoke his license.

Meanwhile, as the charges against Dr. Chalifoux were going through the steps necessary to revoke his license, he was taking steps of his own: getting licensed to practice medicine in West Virginia. How did he get a license in West Virginia when he had committed malpractice in Texas? This is another example of either someone not checking with the states where a physician previously practiced or not protecting the citizens of West Virginia from being victimized by someone who either doesn't have the ability to practice medicine or puts patients at risk by putting profits ahead of patient safety.

Valley Pain Management has refused to turn over a list of patients treated at their clinic, thereby preventing those who may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV and other serious illnesses from being notified. Failure to promptly notify patients so they can be tested will delay treatment for these serious illnesses. If you have been treated, please get tested. If you know someone else who has been treated at the clinic, make sure they know to get treated. You may save a life.