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IG Will Conduct a Nationwide Review of Legionnaires’ Disease within the VA Health System

Last Week Senator Called on Inspector General to Get to the Bottom of Outbreak

Washington DC - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General will open an investigation into the Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak at the VA Pittsburgh Health System.  The Inspector General will also implement a review of Legionnaire’s Disease at Veterans Health Administration facilities.  Last week, Senator Casey wrote a letter to Inspector General George Opfer and called on the VA’s IG to investigate the outbreak in Pittsburgh and review the risk to veterans within the VA Health System.

“I’m pleased that the VA Inspector General has opened an investigation into the Legionnaires’ outbreak at the VA Pittsburgh Health System,” Senator Casey said. “It’s critical that the VA be held accountable and that reforms are instituted so this never happens again in Pittsburgh or any other VA facility.”

Senator Casey has been carefully monitoring the situation following of the outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease at the VA Pittsburgh Health System, and has written letters to and spoken directly with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and other high-ranking officials within the VA.

The Office of the Inspector General is responsible for conducting independent oversight reviews and investigations of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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