More than 60 women filed a class-action lawsuit accusing a former Boston-based Brigham and Women's physician of sexual abuse, WBUR reported Oct. 11.
The women said they underwent unnecessary medical exams — including breast, rectal and vaginal — and the exams were "purely for [the physician's] personal satisfaction," according to the report. Some of the women have also filed individual lawsuits against the physician, rheumatologist Derrick Todd, MD.
In April, the hospital received two anonymous complaints regarding Dr. Todd's conduct of sensitive exams and launched an internal investigation, a source confirmed to Becker's. Those initial complaints came from other physicians, according to an incident report filed with the state's public health department by Brigham. Dr. Todd resigned from the hospital in July and, in early October, agreed to stop practicing medicine.