A west Ottawa clinic run by Dr. Christiane Farazli may be responsible for exposing roughly 6,800 patients to hepatitis B and C and HIV, Ottawa Public Health said today in a press release.
OPH says the clinic, located at 1081 Carling Ave., was first suspected after the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario performed an inspection of non-hospital clinics in Ottawa.
During its investigation, CPSO discovered Farazli’s clinic was not always following certain infection prevention and cleaning protocols when performing endoscopies.
Registered letters, co-signed by Farazli, have been sent to the patients who underwent the procedure between April 2002 and June 2011.
OPH says there is little risk patients were exposed to the viruses, but is providing information on how to get tested and an information line for anyone with questions.
Endoscopic procedures will no longer be available, but the clinic will remain open, OPH says.