Christine Lavalle feels like she’s caught in a nightmare.
Last week, she discovered on social media that her child might have been exposed to blood-borne infections at a Burlington walk-in clinic after public health officials revealed unsterile needles were used for over six years.
“How did this happen?” she asked.
This question weighs heavily on some patients who went to Halton Family Health Centre Walk-in Clinic between January 1, 2019, and July 17, 2025. They learned on Wednesday that if they received local anesthesia, they could have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.
Halton Region Public Health indicated this affects around 1,000 patients.
Last spring, Lavalle took her child to the walk-in clinic after an accident at the playground left a gash on their forehead.
She said they were seen within half an hour- a doctor numbed her child’s forehead and stitched it up with two stitches. Lavalle felt relieved not having to go to the emergency room.
However, that relief turned into regret last week when she found out through a community Facebook group about Halton public health’s notice regarding “improper infection prevention and control practices involving the use of unsterile needles with multi-dose vials of local anesthetic medication.” She noted that public health never formally informed her.
As she awaits more information, she’s jotted down questions on a sticky note: How had this been allowed for six years? Are these clinics not inspected regularly? What will be done about this? How can I be sure something like this won’t happen again?
Dr. Deepika Lobo, Halton Region Public Health’s medical officer of health, stated they received a complaint about the clinic on July 10 and began an investigation that same day. The public health unit does not routinely inspect medical offices according to its website; inspectors only visit if there’s a complaint or for reportable disease investigations.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) didn’t confirm whether it’s starting an investigation but acknowledged being aware of concerns raised by the public health unit. CPSO only investigates formal complaints or cases involving professional misconduct and incompetence.
“Patient safety should be prioritized over cost when choosing between multi-dose and single-use medication vials,” their guidance states.
</pp The Halton Family Health Centre Walk-in Clinic did not respond when asked for comments.
</pp Soon after learning about these serious issues at the clinic , Lavalle picked up her child early from school so they could get tested. She was told she’d receive results during their scheduled appointment next week but desperately requested them sooner.
</pp While waiting anxiously , she’s reached out looking for answers by calling her doctor , the Burlington clinic , public health , and CPSO. But each time she says providers pass responsibility onto someone else.
</pp This uncertainty has made it hard for her to sleep at night. The worst-case scenario haunts her : What if her child is infected?
</pp “Why couldn’t it be me?”
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Halton walk-in clinic didn’t respond to request for comment
The public health unit advised patients who received local anesthesia for stitches, IUD insertions, skin biopsies, lump removals, or joint injections during the specified time frame to get tested for blood-borne infections. Although Lobo mentioned the risk of transmission is low, she recommended testing as a precautionary step for those potentially exposed. Dr. Dick Zoutman from Queen’s University emphasized that using single-use vials instead of cheaper multi-dose ones could have prevented this situation. Zoutman explained that issues arise more easily with multi-use vials-these are bottles containing multiple doses intended for repeated use. If a healthcare provider needs more anesthesia and reinserts the original needle or syringe into the vial, cross-contamination can occur if that vial is later used again for another patient. “That’s the risk of using multi-dose vials.. it’s just inviting trouble,” Zoutman remarked.</pp The public health unit provided limited details but stated generally that staff failed to adhere to proper infection control protocols which resulted in “the anesthetic medication in multi-dose vials possibly becoming contaminated with blood and blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C , and HIV potentially infecting another person when those multi-dose vials were reused.”</pp Public Health Ontario advises always preferring single-use vials over multi-dose ones since using them raises the risk of transmitting blood-borne infections.“Patient safety should be prioritized over cost when choosing between multi-dose and single-use medication vials,” their guidance states.
</pp The Halton Family Health Centre Walk-in Clinic did not respond when asked for comments.
</pp Soon after learning about these serious issues at the clinic , Lavalle picked up her child early from school so they could get tested. She was told she’d receive results during their scheduled appointment next week but desperately requested them sooner.
</pp While waiting anxiously , she’s reached out looking for answers by calling her doctor , the Burlington clinic , public health , and CPSO. But each time she says providers pass responsibility onto someone else.
</pp This uncertainty has made it hard for her to sleep at night. The worst-case scenario haunts her : What if her child is infected?
</pp “Why couldn’t it be me?”
Source link
