More than 100 plaintiffs have now joined a series of lawsuits filed against a Boston-based physician accused of performing pelvic, breast and rectal exams on patients that were not medically necessary.
According to The Boston Globe, four separate lawsuits have now been filed against Dr. Derrick Todd on behalf of over 100 patients.
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The Boston law firm of Lubin & Meyer filed a class-action suit Tuesday saying it was representing 34 patients. As of Saturday, they said that number had already risen to 91.
Todd, who was a rheumatologist at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, has agreed not to practice medicine while a state board investigates.
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Marianne DiTrani, a woman who said she's a survivor of sexual assault by Todd, spoke at a news conference last week after filing suit against him in Suffolk Superior Court. She said she moved to Massachusetts for the specialized treatment Todd was supposed to provide for her rare autoimmune conditions, but he performed sexualized breast and gynecological exams and talked inappropriately about sex. She saw him in person from November to January, and then remotely after that until he allegedly pressured her to return to Massachusetts for more visits over the summer.
"When you trust someone to help you, you see them and you're very vulnerable, and when they violate that trust, and they hurt you instead of heal you, it can be very frightening and not easy to process," DiTrani said at the news conference.
A lawyer for Todd has previously told NBC10 Boston that he "has not seen the allegations in any lawsuit filed against him," and that, "To the extent that anyone is bringing claims against him, Dr. Todd believes that he has done nothing wrong and will defend against such claims vigorously." The lawyer also noted that Todd is cooperating with the Board of Registration in Medicine.
An initial investigation by Brigham and Women's Hospital was reportedly prompted by complaints from two other doctors after the hospital heard from patients concerned about the examinations they received. Todd was fired over the summer after an investigation.
The hospital notified the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine, and documents filed with the state show Todd voluntarily agreed not to practice medicine in Massachusetts or any other state.
According to the Globe, Todd is also facing a medical malpractice lawsuit and is being investigated by the Suffolk County District Attorney and Boston police, though no criminal charges have been filed against him.
Brigham and Women's Hospital said last week that it has been reaching out to patients and giving them the opportunity to discuss any concerns they may have about care they received as it continues to investigate allegations against Todd.
“Providing high quality care in a safe environment is our top priority," Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Dr. Charles Morris said in a statement. "We deeply regret the harm this has caused to our patients and their families. Right now, our focus is on our patients and caring for all of their needs, with the hope of ultimately restoring their trust in health care.”
