SOUTH AUSTRALIA: State Health Minister Jack Snelling has lashed out at the state’s public health pathology provider for covering up the fact that about 100 men received PSA test results indicating false positives for prostate cancer.

SA Pathology executive director Ken BARR has been sacked and an independent review has been ordered.  The errors were uncovered when a suspicious urologist ordered new tests for about 30 patients at a different laboratory and they returned negative results.

“It is completely unacceptable for me to be being told by journalists about a problem long before I’ve had an opportunity to be appropriately briefed by the department,” Mr Snelling told ABC radio.  He also took aim at SA Pathology’s “cryptic statements” about the bungle.

One statement reads: “As part of our continuous quality improvement program, SA Pathology regularly reviews its tests.

“Whilst our PSA results have been highly accurate and reliable in the core range, we have moved to improve values below 0.15ug/L, where some patients have required repeat testing.”

Mr Snelling says this is far from the “full and frank disclosure” both he and the public expect.

“I don’t think anyone reading that would think that there’s a problem … and it’s disgraceful.

“I do think that there are a very small number of people in SA Health who don’t think they’re accountable to anyone.”

SA Health chief executive David Swan says he found out about the inaccurate test results on Saturday.

“I am very concerned that patients have been led to believe they may have prostate cancer by false readings,” he says.

SA urologist Dr Peter Sutherland, who discovered the error, says it’s possible some men have had unnecessary radiotherapy.

4 April 2016