ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Premier Danny Williams is defending his government's decision to order the release of preliminary information about breast cancer tests that were missed in a review meant to verify their accuracy.
The review began in November and on April 3 Eastern Health said tests belonging to 38 patients were missed. But three days later it increased that figure to 43.
Eastern Health spokeswoman Jennifer Guy said that information was released because of government pressure to do so. She said health officials still don't know how many tests in total were missed in the review nor whether any of them were botched.
"It's two months later now and they still don't have the information," Williams said Thursday.
"If ... Eastern Health were allowed to do what they wanted to do, we would still not have public disclosure today of what we disclosed immediately after cabinet on that day back in April."
At least 386 patients were given botched breast cancer tests from 1997 to 2005 as a result of a failure of accountability and oversight "at all levels," a judicial inquiry into the mistakes concluded earlier this year.
Eastern Health officials say they should be able to announce a final figure of the number of patients whose tests were missed within a couple of weeks.
The tests are intended to determine an appropriate course of treatment for breast cancer patients.
Of the 43 patients identified so far, at least 27 have died, Eastern Health has said. But it's not known how they died or whether their tests were botched.
In November, Eastern Health enlisted the help of the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information to identify any remaining patients whose breast cancer tests were missed in a review of tests conducted from 1997 to 2005.
Eastern Health has said it is aware of four living patients who may require a change in treatment -- an indication that their original tests may have been misread.
