Pakistani immigrant doctor causes hepatitis C outbreak

TheOmahaChannel:

The first civil trial is under way in Fremont in one of the nation's largest hepatitis C outbreaks, but the state attorney general said Monday that the doctor involved will likely never be brought to justice.

A Fremont man who contracted the disease is suing the Cancer Clinic, a nurse and the doctor at the center of the case. Most of the patients who filed malpractice lawsuits settled their cases out of court. For Ridder, a jury will determine how much money he'll get for his emotional and physical injuries.

Robert Ridder contracted hepatitis C while undergoing treatment for cancer at the Fremont Cancer Clinic. In 2002, an investigation linked his case and 98 others to improper infection control procedures at the clinic.

Ridder's suit names Dr. Tahir Javed and his nurse, Linda Prochaska. Javed has returned to his native Pakistan and closed the clinic.

"It's a sad case," said Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning.

Bruning said Prochaska used the same saline bags and syringes on different patients. Her license was suspended last year.

"The likelihood of her getting that license back is slim. This was a nurse, after all, who was reusing syringes," Bruning said.

Prochaska has said that's what she was told to do by Javed. Bruning said there's not much that can be done to discipline Javed as long as he stays in Pakistan.

"I don't want to give these families false hope that the Pakistani government is going to allow the state of Nebraska to extradite Dr.Javed," Bruning said.

Bruning said it's terrible so many people contracted the virus, but he's glad the people at the center have been stopped.

"I'm glad she's no longer a licensed practitioner and that the doctor is no longer a health care provider in this state," Bruning said.

One of the patients that contracted hepatitis at the cancer clinic has died from liver complications.

While Javed's Nebraska medical license has been revoked, he remains a regional minister of health in Pakistan.

About 80 cases against Javed have been settled. It's possible that the rest could go to trial.

Family talks about decision to leave farming after father was treated for hepatitis C

Hepatitis C trial begins