Nebraska Revokes License of Doctor in Hepatitis Outbreak

On Wednesday, the state of Nebraska revoked the license of Dr. Tahir Javed, who is accused of causing one of the nation's largest hepatitis C outbreaks, in which 99 patients were infected. One patient has died. Javed, who returned to his native Pakistan a year ago, around the time the first hepatitis cases were detected, admitted in a settlement to using unsanitary practices at his Fremont Cancer Clinic, abandoning his patients, and breaching patient confidentiality. Javed agreed to admit to the allegations in seven charges in exchange for five charges being dropped, said Kathie Osterman, spokesperson for the state Health and Human Services System. He did not contest the allegations in the five other counts relating to the infections. At least 81 lawsuits have been filed against Javed on behalf of his former patients. It was not immediately known how Javed's settlement with the state would affect the civil lawsuits. For more information, visit www.hhs.state.ne.us/epi/epiindex.htm and www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases.

Back to other news for October 2, 2003