Health Law

Atlanta Attorney’s TB Isn’t That Serious

An Atlanta attorney whose international air travel recently caused consternation after the public was told he is infected with a rare–and particularly deadly–form of TB actually isn’t all that sick. The form of tuberculosis that Andrew Speaker is infected with isn’t as resistant to drugs as initially thought, his doctors…

Jul 3, 2007 11:46 PM CDT

Affidavit: Wrestler Got ‘Excessive’ Steroids

Before murdering his wife and 7-year-old son and committing suicide at his suburban Atlanta home late last month, professional wrestler Chris Benoit reportedly got “excessive” amounts of steroids using prescriptions from his personal physician. Doctor Phil Astin, charged yesterday with improperly administering painkillers, prescribed, AP reports, “a 10-month supply of…

Jul 3, 2007 8:35 PM CDT

DEA Raids Office of Dead Wrestler’s Doc

A doctor who prescribed testosterone to pro wrestler Chris Benoit is under investigation by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, following a double murder-suicide by Benoit in his suburban Atlanta home over the weekend. Phil Astin’s medical office in another Atlanta suburb was raided last night by DEA agents and Fayette…

Jun 29, 2007 12:41 AM CDT

Hospitals Accused of Patient Dumping

The Los Angeles city attorney has filed civil complaints against two California hospitals accused of dumping homeless patients in skid row. The complaints name Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Feliz and Methodist Hospital in Arcadia. The actions claim the motive was to save money, the Los Angeles Times reports.…

Jun 27, 2007 8:35 PM CDT

$7 Billion Drug-Test Suit Allowed

A Nigerian court has refused to dismiss a $7 billion lawsuit against Pfizer Inc. for allegedly testing antibiotic drugs on children in the mid-1990s, resulting in injuries and as many as 11 deaths. The judge ruled the Nigerian government had improperly amended its lawsuit, but said the overall case could…

Jun 26, 2007 4:48 PM CDT

Nurses Testify in Katrina Hospital Deaths

Several nurses are reportedly soon to testify before a grand jury, two of them under immunity grants, in an ongoing criminal investigation of the deaths of at least four hospitalized patients in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Health care workers at Memorial Medical Center, including at least one doctor, are…

Jun 20, 2007 11:26 PM CDT

Doctor Allowed Shielded Records

A federal appeals court ruling last week permits a physician claiming discrimination to access hospital peer review files, despite a state law shielding them from disclosure. The plaintiff, Russell Adkins, claims his work was improperly scrutinized by Houston Medical Center in Warner Robins, Ga., according to the Fulton County Daily…

Jun 19, 2007 1:19 PM CDT

Va. Tech Gets Gunman’s Mental File

Frustrated by federal privacy law that protects student mental health records from disclosure even after the subject’s death, a Virginia Tech advisory panel reviewing the on-campus massacre of more than 30 people won permission from the family of the student gunman to get his records. Seung-Hui Cho, who shot himself…

Jun 14, 2007 9:11 PM CDT

Glaxo Faces Suits Over Diabetes Drug

Investors in GlaxoSmithKline have filed a lawsuit in New York federal court that claims the drug company misled them about the safety of a diabetes drug. The suit says company officials failed to disclose that its tests showed Avandia was associated with a higher risk of heart attacks, the Wall…

Jun 13, 2007 6:07 PM CDT

DOJ Labels Autism Claims ‘Junk Science’

A Justice Department official said claims that a vaccine additive causes autism are junk science, in opening arguments before a vaccine court yesterday. “Unfortunately, after five years, you’ll find a signal lack of support for their contentions,” said Vincent J. Matanoski, an assistant director in the department’s civil division. The…

Jun 12, 2007 4:29 PM CDT

Experts Prepare for Battle in Autism Case

About 20 experts are expected to testify in a case beginning this week before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims that asks whether a vaccine preservative causes autism. Gary Golkiewicz, chief special master in the court, told the Washington Post that a ruling could be a year away. Cedillo v.…

Jun 11, 2007 5:31 PM CDT

TB Case Shines Light on Quarantine Laws

The case of lawyer and tuberculosis patient Andrew Speaker highlights health officials’ quest for the legal tools they need. Some states updated laws giving them the power to quarantine people following the Sept. 11 attacks, according to the Fulton County Daily Report. But others still have old laws on the…

Jun 8, 2007 1:18 PM CDT

ACLU: Botched Executions Need Scrutiny

A recent execution in Ohio took so long that the convict reportedly needed a bathroom break before he died. That’s just one reason why people need to know more about how the death penalty is imposed, including the identity of the executioners, says the American Civil Liberties Union. The organization’s…

Jun 5, 2007 7:56 PM CDT

Law School Lite: Master’s in Health Law

A handful of universities are offering a master’s degree in health law. Such programs teach students how to perform regulatory and compliance work, risk management and contract negotiations, according to the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.). “It’s a short version of law school,” Joshua Timari, a 2005 graduate of Seton…

Jun 5, 2007 3:26 PM CDT

Case to Determine Vaccine-Autism Link

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims is set to determine whether the preservative thimerosal in vaccines can cause autism. Cedillo v. Secretary of Health and Human Services is a test case, picked from more than 4,800 claims filed with the court, according to Legal Times. Three special masters will begin…

Jun 5, 2007 2:17 PM CDT