Ashland, Ore. — A doctor serving in Ashland and Santa Barbara is under investigation for exposing patients to hepatitis and possibly even HIV and the Oregon Health Authority is also looking into the doctor’s facility in Ashland.
OHA was notified last month about Ashland Regenerative Injection Therapy Specialists office where Dr. Allen Thomashefsky works.
According to OHA, no infections have been linked to injections at doctor Thomashefsky’s Ashland practice.
In February of this year, the doctor’s California facility became the subject of an investigation by the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.
According to its news release, a case of hepatitis C may have been acquired from an injection at Thomashefsky’s practice in Santa Barbara.
After further investigation, Public Health in California said it found unsafe infection control practices there which could allow patients to come into contact with the blood of other patients.
Public Health is contacting Thomashefsky’s patients in California so they can get blood tests for hepatitis C, B, and HIV.
OHA has conducted onsite observations and say a number of breaches were found.
“Specific corrections were given to the physician to address immediately. He has cooperated with the investigation and sought to bring injections and other infection control practices into compliance with CDC guidelines,” said Jonathan Modie, the spokesperson for the Oregon Public Health Division.
As of Tuesday, April 14th Thomashefsky’s Ashland practice was still operating.
OHA and Jackson County are following the situation very closely.
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