Burlington family awaits test results after clinic is found to use ‘unsterile needles’

These are difficult days for the parents of a Burlington 8-year-old.

They’re waiting for the results of medical tests that could show whether their child was exposed to infection at a local clinic.

Halton’s health unit is telling people that the chance of infection is very low.

But for Christine Lavalle, this goes back to early last year when her daughter was hurt in a playground accident, and needed a couple of stitches.

They went to the Halton Family Health Centre Walk-In Clinic.

“They gave her two stitches on her forehead at that time. I didn’t see anything concerning. It seemed very basic,” says Lavalle.

But then last week, a year and a-half later, she saw a social media posting about what Halton Health calls an “infection prevention and control lapse,” at the clinic.

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Halton Region Public Health says the issue involved the “use of unsterile needles with multi-dose vials of local anesthetic medication.”

It says “the risk of infection is low.”

But it advised people who got a needle for freezing at the clinic over a period of more than six years, 2019 to mid-2025, to “discuss testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.”

“It feels like a nightmare and I get sick to my stomach when I start thinking about it too much. I can’t believe that it would happen. I keep telling myself it’s probably going to be okay. But low risk is not no risk,” Lavalle says.

CHCH News asked the walk-in clinic for an interview today about how this could happen but didn’t hear back.

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Christine says she asked why Halton Public Health didn’t contact her directly, she found out about the public notice on Facebook.

She says she was told there were too many people to contact personally.

Halton Public Health has said about a thousand patients.

As she looks for answers, Christine Lavalle also says she was told it’s up to patients to make sure doctors and nurses are following safe procedures, when the patients are not the ones with medical training.

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“I saw nothing unusual that day. Now when I go I’ll say “is this a multi-use vial, if so can you open another one right in front of me,” I’ll do it,” Lavalle says.

She also says it’s worrisome that it seems no one is watching the clinics.

“It would appear that there’s no regular inspection of these clinics. I am flummoxed, flabbergasted, infuriated, frustrated, everything, pretty much.”

Lavalle says she was told the College of Physicians and Surgeons is responsible for regulating doctors in the clinics, but the college doesn’t do regular inspections.

The college didn’t respond to a request for an interview today.

Neither did Halton Public Health, but it says the clinic has taken corrective measures.

The provincial health ministry isn’t offering any explanation of how this kind of issue could go on for more than six years.

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