Newton-Wellesley Hospital environment ‘not the cause’ of brain tumors, reports say

Newton-Wellesley Hospital is “a safe environment” with no connection to the seven reported brain tumor cases among staff members who all worked in the same unit there, according to two new reports.

According to the Boston Globe, these newest investigations by the Department of Public Health and Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that Newton-Wellesley Hospital “is a safe environment and is not the cause” of seven reported cases of noncancerous brain tumors among nurses in the fifth-floor maternity ward.

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This inquiry by the state, and a federal investigation by OSHA, followed the internal investigation already done by the hospital in Newton, Massachusetts, beginning last December.

Last month, officials with the hospital said that an internal Mass General Brigham Occupational Health and Safety team found no environmental risks which could be linked to the development of a brain tumor, including radiation levels.

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In an email dated Tuesday, the president and CEO of MBG told employees that these reports confirm that the environment at Newton-Wellesley Hospital is “safe.”

On Tuesday, the President and CEO of Mass General Brigham sent this email to employees with findings from a Department of Public Health report, as well as a final report from MGB’s Occupational Health Service investigation that found “the NWH workplace is a safe environment and is not the cause of these reported brain tumors.”

The DPH inquiry, in conjunction with federal personnel from OSHA, included radiation surveys, reviews of X-ray equipment calibration and maintenance logs, as well as air and water testing. See the visit summary below.

Its report found that “all radiation levels were within regulatory limits.”

“We hope they reassure you of our commitment to your wellbeing,” the email continued, with President and CEO Ellen Moloney adding that they are exploring opportunities for an additional third-party review for further validation of these findings.

But the most recent former NWH maternity nurse who said she has been diagnosed with a noncancerous brain tumor, Debbie Connolly, told NBC10 Boston earlier this month that she’s extremely skeptical of any findings that look to determine whether the hospital environment was the cause, instead of what may have caused these brain tumors.

“Statistically, it just doesn’t make sense, common sense is going to say, you know it’s not even one hospital, one town, you’re talking one floor of what I consider a relatively small or community hospital and seven who reported symptoms — that’s not to say there’s only seven,” she told us at the time.

The Massachusetts Nurses Association also expressed doubts in a statement provided to NBC10 Boston on Wednesday.

“We do not believe the testing presented so far is definitive. The MNA’s occupational health investigation is ongoing. We are discussing next steps with the hospital, including sharing the results of our inquiry and bringing in an independent expert to review the situation.”

We’ve reached out to the hospital for comment on these most recent reports, and we’re waiting to hear back.

Read the visit summary from DPH

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