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AN attorney representing over 80 women accusing a Boston doctor of sexual assault fears “hundreds” of victims could now come forward – as disturbing details of his sickening methods have emerged.
Dr. Derrick Todd, a former rheumatologist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts, was accused in a lawsuit this week by a staggering 82 women of “inappropriate pelvic examinations, breast examinations, and rectal examinations,” which were “performed for his own sexual gratification.”
Todd denies the claims, which are alleged to have taken place over the last 12 years.
He resigned last month after patients made multiple complaints about him.
Andrew Meyer, from Boston-based law firm Lubin and Meyer, laid bare the horrific allegations to The U.S. Sun as he urges other possible victims to come forward.
Meyer, who specializes in medical malpractice, said Todd’s case was a “horrific example of abuse of the physician-patient relationship.”
He detailed how Todd allegedly groomed his victims by texting them inappropriately at all times of the day, and even demanded they bring in their daughters for “unnecessary” exams.
Meyer is stunned by the number of affected women and anticipates talking to many more in the coming weeks.
“If we are talking about 85 coming to us in a few days, that just shows you the enormity of the situation,” he told The U.S. Sun.
“It would be speculation, but I would say there are hundreds of women who have been subject to this.”
Meyer hopes now that alleged victims are beginning to reveal the nightmare of their experiences, many more will have the courage to speak up.
As a rheumatologist, Todd was supposed to specialize in the treatment of arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones.
Yet he would routinely convince patients that they needed vaginal and rectal exams, allegedly using his hands instead of medical instruments without anyone else in the room, which contravenes protocols for such tests.
Todd would explain away the absence of a chaperone, claiming it wasn’t needed or that people were unavailable because appointments were made either early in the morning, at lunchtime, or later on in the day.
Some women have also complained that the vaginal exams lasted 45 minutes, and that they were asked inappropriate questions about their sex lives.
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And, in sickening echoes of the Larry Nassar case, the disgraced former Team USA gymnastics doctor who was found guilty of multiple accusations of sexual abuse on young girls and sentenced to 175 years in prison, he would allegedly demand they undergo pelvic massage therapy.
Todd was reportedly friendly toward his patients, with another woman claiming in the suit that “everybody loved him.”
The lawsuit also casts blame on those who worked with Todd, with Meyer insisting they too could be complicit in the scandal.
Todd isn’t the only person named as one of the defendants – Charles River Medical Associates and four medics; Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital; the hospitals’ parent company Mass General Brigham, two physicians organizations, and 10 so-far unnamed people who were “officers, directors, or other supervisory/administrative professionals” are also facing action, according the suit.
Charles River Medical Associates said in a statement:” At no time, up until and including his last day at our Framingham office on July 26 of this year, did we receive, nor were we made aware of, any complaints from patients, staff, or any other physicians about inappropriate conduct by Dr. Todd.
“While we are still reviewing the complaints, we are disappointed and saddened by these disturbing allegations and recognize the courage it takes for these patients to come forward.
“Nothing is more important to Charles River Medical Associates than the health and safety of those patients who receive care at our practice.”
“His colleagues are horrified,” Meyer said.
“Everybody’s concerned that these abysmal practices were allowed to go on and wasn’t really reported. There are people who are in a supervisory position who could have, and should have, stopped this.”
The horrific situation began to unfold after Meyer started receiving phone calls, which led him to start investigating.
Women also began complaining to other doctors about treatment by Todd, he said.
Complaints were lodged with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which only then discovered the gravity of the situation.
The attorney says the victims, many of whom are suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome, all want “accountability, acknowledgement, and responsibility.”
He added that he believes they are entitled to significant compensation.
“His violations of standards of care, of appropriate treatment, and sexual exploitation is extreme,” Meyer said.
“This an emerging and enormous situation.”