Audit Finds Reported Cervical Cancer Cases In Maryland Deliberately Altered In State Database

Main Category: Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Also Included In: Litigation / Medical Malpractice;  IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 01 Aug 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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The number of reported cervical cancer cases in Maryland was deliberately overreported in a state database that records the number of cancer cases statewide, according to a recent audit conducted by the Department of Legislative Services, the AP/Washington Examiner reports (Dominguez, AP/Washington Examiner, 7/29). State officials said that employees of the company Macro International, which administered the database, had changed the data to meet standards set by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the Baltimore Sun reports (Smitherman, Baltimore Sun, 7/29).

Physicians, hospitals and other medical providers are required to report all new cancer cases diagnosed or treated in Maryland. The database is used by CDC, NAACCR, other states and researchers. The number of cancer cases reported in the database is used to award grants to counties for cancer prevention, education, screening and treatment programs (AP/Washington Examiner, 7/29).

According to the Sun, the discrepancies were discovered after 400 women who did not have cervical cancer were sent letters beginning in 2005 seeking their participation in a cervical cancer study (Baltimore Sun, 7/29). Ten of the women contacted the state's Family Health Administration after receiving the letter. These reports and a tip from a former Macro employee led to an investigation by the state health department and a criminal probe by the state attorney general's office (AP/Washington Examiner, 7/29).

Macro's internal investigation found that a former employee had deliberately altered data between August 2004 and December 2004. The company also found that more than 13% of cancer cases in 2002 showed signs of tampering. Macro had concluded that the changes to the database were "methodical and were made by one or more persons with broad access to the system." According to the Sun, the company fired the employee responsible for the registry.

Auditors faulted the state agency for not reviewing the 2002 data until 2005 and for not taking other actions, such as terminating the contract with Macro. State officials on Monday said that the 2002 registry has been rectified and is available and that data from subsequent years are under review for accuracy. The case has been referred to the criminal division of the state attorney general's office (Baltimore Sun, 7/29).

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Raquel Guillory, a spokesperson for the state attorney general's office, said that charges have not been filed in the case and that she could not comment further because of the ongoing investigation (AP/Washington Examiner, 7/29). Bruce Myers, an auditor at the Department of Legislative Services, said a joint committee of the state General Assembly is considering whether the problems discovered at FHA deserve more attention. He added, "There are some issues here that concern some big dollar amounts." According to the Sun, auditors also found a lack of oversight for several other programs that account for millions in state spending.

Maryland Health Secretary John Colmers said, "We have been forced to go back and make sure that this data is accurate." He added, "This has delayed getting that information out there and delayed research activities." Guy Garnett, a vice president at Macro, declined to comment, citing company policy not to discuss client issues (Baltimore Sun, 7/29).

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