Doctor Responsible for Hep C Outbreak in Mental Hospital

[vegasrocks]

Remember a good while back we were talking about that clinic in Las Vegas that was reusing vials which caused a hepatitis c outbreak? Well the doctor responsible has been sent to a mental hospital for evaluation.

Dr. Dipak Desai has since had two strokes that have left him incompetent to stand trial. He is being assessed as to whether or not he will regain enough mental faculties to stand trial for his involvement in the reuse of those vials on people.

Desai, a gastroenterologist who ran the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, faces racketeering, insurance fraud and neglect charges related to the hepatitis outbreak that authorities believe infected at least seven, and as many as 114, patients. Two former employees have also been charged.

Several other cases related to the outbreak are making their way through the Nevada courts. Both Baxter Healthcare and Teva Parenteral Medicines have been sued in civil court, accused of playing a role because they distributed the anesthetic propofol in vials that were larger than necessary, inviting multiple uses.

The drug makers say that their vials are clearly marked with instructions and warnings.

In one decision, now under appeal, a headmaster of a private school who contracted hepatitis C won a $500 million judgment for punitive damages from a Las Vegas jury.

Now what if the doctor will not ever recover his mental faculties, charges will have to be dropped against him. So where will that leave the people who now have an incurable liver disease?