LAHORE: The Punjab Institute of Cardiology has constituted a six-member committee to probe into a scam of implanting ‘expired’ stents into heart patients.

PIC professor of cardiology Dr Ahmad Noeman has been made convener of the committee while other members included associate professor Dr Sajjad Ahmad, assistant professor Dr Imran Abid, additional medical superintendent Dr Rana Aftab, deputy medical superintendent (stores) Dr Shoaib Aslam and chief pharmacist Mohammad Yousaf.

The committee was constituted on the directions of the PIC board of management chairman.

The issued surfaced when the DMS (stores) in a letter addressed to the PIC medical superintendent said that expired stents had been inserted into several cardiac patients.

Committee gets record of patients who underwent procedure over last few months

He raised another issue of hundreds of ‘near expiry’ stents at the PIC store which must be replaced by the company under an agreement.

“It is stated for your kind notice that the undersigned came to know on Aug 20 that some patients were placed expired Resolute Onyx stents,” reads the letter written by the DMS (stores).

He further pointed out that the stock of all the ‘near expiry’ stents in the main store has also expired.

He said the institute has off and on written to the company some months back to replace the stents, giving details of the reminders to the firm but to no avail.

The DMS also raised the issue of incompetence of the medics concerned for not using the stents [which have now expired].

“It is requested to probe into the matter that why the expired stents were implanted to the cardiac patients and why the near expiry stents were not used before the expiry date,” reads the letter.

It further demanded investigation as to why the company has not replaced the stents.

An official said an initial probe showed that nearly 70 cardiac patients have so far received expired stents at the PIC.

He said the committee has launched investigation keeping in view administrative failure and medical negligence.

The committee has obtained details/record of all the patients who underwent procedures for stent at the PIC during the last few months, he said.

PIC chief executive officer Prof Dr Saqib Shafi confirmed 15 such patients [who received expired stents.]

“I admit that some 15 patients have been placed expired Resolute Onyx stents and those responsible for this gross negligence must be fixed,” he said.

Talking to Dawn, Prof Saqib strongly denied the reports about 70 patients who received expired cardiac stents, saying some elements in the institute were exaggerating due to ‘internal politics’.

He said the former MS of the hospital had also raised the issue of expired stents with the company.

The PIC CEO said the expired stents had been sealed at the store department but it was a matter of serious concern as to how they were shifted or provided to the pharmacy of the institute.

To a question, he said the ‘near expiry’ cardiac stents can be implanted into the patients without any risk.

The chief minister has also taken notice of the matter and directed the health authorities for a detailed probe.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2021