York Region is advising individuals who received specific treatments at a traditional Chinese medicine clinic in Richmond Hill over the past few years to get tested for hepatitis and HIV.
This alert follows an investigation into Huai Kui Xu TCM Clinic on Berwick Crescent, which found “inadequate infection prevention and control practices,” as stated in a news release issued on Tuesday.
Anyone who has had wet cupping or micro-needling/derma rolling services at the clinic since October 1, 2015, should get tested for blood-borne infections as a precaution, according to the release.
“Clients may have been exposed to blood-borne infections,” the release states. “As a precaution, clients who received one or more of these services at this clinic should seek medical follow-up and be tested for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).”
Officials inspected the clinic on June 7 after receiving reports of “health concerns,” according to the release.
Inspectors found that the clinic was not properly cleaning or sterilizing equipment used for wet cupping. They also discovered that single-use micro-needle and derma roller devices were being reused on different clients.
Wet cupping is a technique that uses suction cups to create suction on punctured skin in order to draw out blood and other bodily fluids. Micro-needle rollers or derma rollers are tools with tiny needles that roll across the skin, making small holes to encourage healing and collagen production.
Health officials indicate that while the risk to clients is low, they recommend anyone who received these services at the clinic between October 1, 2015, and June 7, 2023, get tested through their family doctor, nurse practitioner or at a walk-in clinic.
The operator of the clinic has been instructed to cease offering “services of concern,” and can currently only conduct assessments and provide Chinese herbal medicine treatments per the release.
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‘There is a risk’, official says
Dr. Sarah Erdman, associate medical officer of health for York Region Public Health, informed CBC Toronto on Tuesday that while the operator runs the clinic from his home it remains a licensed business; he is also regulated by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario. Erdman mentioned that the operator has cooperated with investigators throughout this process. She noted that there was particular concern regarding wet cupping procedures where clients may have come into contact with each other’s blood. ‘Therefore there is a risk of transmission of these blood borne infections,’ she stated. ‘We wanted to alert clients to this risk and recommend they get tested for these viruses.’ Erdman explained that many people show no symptoms when infected with hepatitis or HIV which makes testing essential.Neighbour ‘appalled’
Julie Maxey, a neighbor expressed her shock over the investigation findings. “I’m beyond words. I just pray honestly for those people that they’re okay. That makes me beyond , beyond sick.. I am appalled,” she said. According to the release , the public notification was necessary due to the clinic’s ” inadequate client documentation practices “, so the region cannot follow up directly with clients. The investigation involved several site visits , assessment of risks , literature reviews , consultations with Public Health Ontario , along with field experts , as mentioned in the release. The region emphasizes that health professionals must adhere strictly to infection prevention and control guidelines set forth by their respective colleges. “The clinic will be reinspected to ensure all conditions outlined in the order have been met; services may resume once full compliance has been achieved by the operator,” states the release.Source link
