More than 100 plaintiffs have joined four separate lawsuits against Derrick Todd, MD, a former rheumatologist at Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital accused of performing inappropriate pelvic and breast exams on patients, The Boston Globe reported Oct. 16.
The lawsuits accuse Dr. Todd of "sexual assault under the auspices of providing medical care."
In early October, the Globe broke news that Brigham and Women's placed the physician on administrative leave in June, after receiving two anonymous complaints from other physicians regarding Dr. Todd's conduct of sensitive exams. He then reportedly resigned in July and agreed to stop practicing medicine in September, asserting that the agreement did not equate to wrongdoing.
Boston Police, the Suffolk County, Mass., district attorney and the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine are investigating Dr. Todd. No criminal charges have been filed against him.
In a statement to the Globe, a lawyer for the physician said, "He has been fully cooperative with all investigations, including the Board of Registration in Medicine, and is confident that when all the facts are considered — or even litigated — these allegations will be proven to be without merit."
Brigham and Women's began reaching out to Dr. Todd's former patients in August, when they received the first complaint from a patient, a source previously confirmed to Becker's.
"As our investigation continues, we have reached out to his current and former patients to offer information and resources, including establishing a dedicated team of specifically trained patient and family relations professionals, as well as offering clinicians to speak with about any concerns or next steps regarding their care," Charles Morris, MD, chief medical officer and senior vice president of medical affairs at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said in a statement sent to Becker's on Oct. 6. "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."