Dr. Derrick Todd, a former rheumatologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, faces a class-action lawsuit filed by at least 50 former patients in Boston. The lawsuit, dated October 11, alleges that Todd conducted unnecessary pelvic, breast, and rectal examinations on his patients for personal gratification for over a decade according to CBS News.
Details from new plaintiffs, revealed this week, indicated that Nancy Larsen of Hull leads the lawsuit, and the number of claimants have reached at least 56. This lawsuit is the third filed in the past two weeks against Dr. Todd, with previous suits brought by individual patients, The Boston Globe reports.
The complaint alleges Dr. Todd performed "horrifying, traumatizing, and deplorable acts" over the years, manipulating patients into unnecessary gynecological and breast exams. Attorney Drew Meyer, who represents the plaintiffs, says Dr. Todd would hold appointments alone and outside of typical hours. Boston Police detectives were reportedly informed of these incidents as part of a criminal investigation per CBS News.
While Dr. Todd's attorney has stated that Todd denies the allegations and plans to defend himself, Dr. Todd himself has not publicly commented. Presently, he has voluntarily surrendered his medical license while the Board of Medicine investigates these accusations CBS News revealed.
The lawsuit also lists several institutions and individual doctors, Brigham and Women's, Charles River Medical Associates, Mass General Brigham, as well as Todd's colleagues, as defendants.
