The same powerful chemotherapy drugs that have saved hundreds of thousands of patients’ lives for decades have at the same time taken a potentially deadly toll on the health of hospital and clinic workers who handled them, a major investigation reveals.
InvestigateWest reporting shows that the federal government, despite knowledge of the potential risks, continues to let these deadly drugs slip through regulatory cracks. And recent studies show that health care workplaces continue to be contaminated, putting still more workers at risk.
InvestigateWest is a nonprofit, investigative center based in Seattle, whose work is funded by grants from the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation, the Bullitt Foundation and the Russell Family Foundation, in addition to individual donors. This work was done in partnership with Seattle PBS affiliate KCTS 9, and also published with partners The Seattle Times and MSNBC.com.
“We tell this story powerfully through the life of Sue Crump, a hospital pharmacist who died at age 55 of cancer, and who is one of several health care workers interviewed in the story who believe their cancers may be due to exposures suffered in the workplace,” said InvestigateWest Executive Director and Editor Rita Hibbard.
The television news magazine piece, produced in conjunction with KCTS 9 for the program KCTS 9 Connects, and airing at 7 p.m. July 9, and again July 11 at noon, is the first production of an ongoing partnership between InvestigateWest and KCTS. The story also will be published July 11 by The Seattle Times and on MSNBC.com and on the InvestigateWest web site.
"We're proud to begin this partnership with the experienced journalists at InvestigateWest," said KCTS 9 CEO and President Moss Bresnahan. "There are fewer reporters covering fewer beats in our region today than just a few short years ago. Public media has a responsibility to address that decline and make sure important stories like this one are told."
InvestigateWest and KCTS 9 have other projects in the works, including works on family homelessness, and public health and the urban environment.
“This demonstrates how effectively the work of independent, nonprofit media can link the eyes and ears of many audiences with important, public service journalism,” Hibbard said of the story reported by journalist Carol Smith. “It amplifies the power and impact of the work.”
InvestigateWest (www.invw.org), an independent, nonprofit investigative news organization based in Seattle, is staffed by journalists with a track record of producing in-depth stories and, as a result, change in public policy and corporate practice. Those interested in becoming supporting members of InvestigateWest can do so at this link.
Contact: Rita Hibbard, Executive Director and Editor, InvestigateWest
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Gary "Chris" Twombley was put on administrative leave in December 2023
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