SOME VITAMIN B12 LAB RESULTS COMPROMISED; RISK TO PATIENTS LOW

Some Saskatchewan residents who received a vitamin B12 test within the past two years could be contacted by their physicians for re-testing.

"The Saskatchewan Disease Control Laboratory (SDCL) has been alerted to the possibility of erroneous vitamin B12 results by Siemens Diagnostics, the supplier of the testing equipment and supplies," Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer Moira McKinnon said.

As a result, the SDCL has notified all Saskatchewan physicians and nurse practitioners who ordered the test from mid-February 2010 to mid-May 2012 to outline potential issues with the testing results. In turn, physicians and nurse practitioners will contact patients if they determine follow-up testing is required. People who received vitamin B12 testing within this timeframe may also contact their physician if they have questions or concerns. Approximately 40,000 Saskatchewan patients received the test over this two-year time period.

"I must stress that any risk from inaccurate vitamin B12 test results is very low," Dr. McKinnon said. "Only one condition - pernicious anemia - is potentially affected. About half the patients with this condition have an antibody that could produce a false reading. However, this condition is typically confirmed by other tests and includes vitamin B12 treatment regardless of test results."

For the past 14 days the SDCL has been sending vitamin B12 samples to the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region laboratory for testing. They have now received the new testing supplies and are confident in the accuracy of future testing. SDCL will restart testing at their facility in the first week of June.

The Saskatchewan Disease Control Laboratory is the province's public health laboratory and conducts about 90 per cent of the province's B12 tests.

An adequate level of vitamin B12 is necessary for normal red blood cell formation and tissue and cellular repair.

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For more information, contact:

Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083