Wow, did this really happen? Health system CEO framed physician by planting gun

This story is almost unbelievable: Health system CEO framed physician by planting gun

Dr. Michael Fitzgibbons, an infectious disease specialist and former chief of staff at Western Medical Center was framed! He was arrested in the hospital parking lot after police found a pair of black gloves and a handgun in his car. These items had been planted in his car to frame him!

What would you do if the police found a pair of black gloves and a gun in your car? crim

Anti-rape device: Rape-aXe

Rape is never a pleasant topic. However, it's good to know that some people have applied their creativity to leverage advances in technology and create an anti-rape device like the Rape-aXe female condom. This device was recently featured in a CNN story titled, "South African doctor invents female condoms with 'teeth' to fight rape." Rape is a common problem in South Africa and Dr. Sonnet Ehlers has created a device that is stirring controversy. Some argue that this device may endanger women further since men will may become more violent if they are trapped by this device. Others are saying that this may deter men from raping women.

I think we need to electrify those teeth and connect the condom to a stun gun. That should deter and disable men from acting more violently if they're being shocked "down there." 

Remembering Dr. Vajinder Toor

Dr. Vajinder Toor graduated in 2001 from Guru Gobind Singh Medical College at Punjab University in India. He was a chief resident in the department of medicine at Kingsbrook. Dr. Toor, an internal medicine physician, last practiced medicine for Austin Regional Clinic as part of its hospitalist group, Adult Inpatient Medical Services, in Williamson County. He took care of patients at Seton Medical Center Williamson. He was at Yale doing a research fellowship in infectious diseases.

"He was an eager, hardworking young doctor," said Tim Rye, regional director of operations for Austin Regional. "I could always count on him to cover extra shifts. He was a very intelligent guy and very agreeable."

We will all miss you Dr. Toor. You can read more about his biography and his tragic death here.

Doctors (and residents) often require mental health services

I've been reading several stories related to the fatal shooting of Yale Doctor Vajinder Toor. The suspect in custody is another doctor: Lishan Wang. The current theory is that Dr. Wang had a confrontation with Dr. Toor while working at the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn. It sounds like they were in the same residency program, but it also seems like some of the emotional issues that Dr. Wang was struggling with were never resolved. Did Dr. Wang suffer from serious anger issues? Was he mentally ill? Did he require mental health services?

It's such a shame to read stories where physicians went off the deep end. Last November, a military psychiatrist was involved in a shooting at Fort Hood (Military stress and tragedy at Fort Hood). Yesterday, we heard of a tragic shooting incident of a Yale physician.

When a doctor requires mental health services, are those services readily available? Doctors are frequently so busy that they may not make time to obtain the help they need, even if the services are readily available. As a result, some physicians build up all types of emotional issues, only to display them in bizarre behavior. In the case of Dr. Lishan Wang, it seems like he had some unresolved issues stemming from residency several years ago.

Yale doctor (Vajinder Toor) fatally shot by another doctor (Lishan Wang)

This is truly a tragic story.

Dr. Lishan Wang, 44, was charged in the killing of his former colleague, Dr. Vajinder Toor. Apparently, Dr. Wang and Dr. Toor worked together at the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn. This really is a sad story and my heart goes out to all those affected by this tragic loss.

You can read the full story here on NYTimes.com.

Chinese woman had surgery to switch fingerprints

Do you remember the Steven Spielberg movie Minority Report? In that futuristic movie, Tom Cruise undergoes an eye transplant because of all the retinal scanners that permeate public places. Well, in a real-life story similar to Minority Report, a Chinese woman had a fingerprint transplant operation to enter Japan and fool the immigration department. Lin Rong, 27, had previously been deported from Japan for overstaying her visa. Her case is known as biometric fraud. I suppose you can get any type of surgery in China if you find the right surgeon. Read the interesting story on BBC News.

What caused Dr. Stephen Wolf to kill his son?

Dr. Stephen Wolf, 51, faces first-degree murder charges in Oklahoma City. According to this story on CNN, Dr. Wolf is being charged for killing his 9-year-old son. We have very few details at this time, but this is a very sad and troubling story. My heart goes out to his family and to all those affected by this tragic loss.

Doctors are often held to a higher standing so when something shocking like this occurs, we all struggle to understand what could have caused this person do act in such a way. The human mind is complex and mysterious and it's something that we will never fully understand in our lifetime. Advances in medical technology will never unravel the inner workings of the complex human mind.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Data Breach Alert

If you're a physician, you should be aware that your personal data may have been compromised recently due to a laptop theft. A simple crime can cause a significant amount of havoc when the stolen device contains extremely sensitive information like social security numbers and other personal identifiers. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) sent a notice to physicians, but many really don't understand what they're supposed to do.

My suggestion would be the following:

• Check your credit ASAP
  
• Enroll in an identity theft protection program (credit monitoring services)
  
• Monitor your credit each year

You may be at risk if you don't do anything. If that laptop ends up in the wrong hands, then your personal information could be vulnerable. We can't make any assumptions when laptops get stolen.

Jaycee Dugard opens up to the public

It's fantastic to see how Jaycee Dugard is opening up to the public about her story. I really admire her courage and wish her and her entire family the best as she transitions into a regular world. (read Jaycee Lee Dugard and a life of isolation)

I can't imagine what it must be like to live in captivity.
I can't imagine what it must be like to lose a daughter to kidnapping.

It's wonderful to hear that she has been freed after all those years. I'm eager to see how she may inspire others to come forth and open up to the public. Read the CNN story about how she may be working on a book.

The power of DNA evidence even after 19 years

According to this story on CNN, a suspect has been arrested in the 1990 abduction and attempted murder of an 8-year-old Texas girl. DNA evidence has led to the arrest of Dennis Earl Bradford, a 40-year-old welder in Little Rock, Arkansas. The victim, Jennifer Schuett, went public with her story in hopes of someday bringing her attacker to justice.

The power of DNA evidence will grow as advances in science and technology improve our ability to use DNA evidence. We're constantly shedding DNA wherever we go. Our DNA fingerprint is everywhere and that's something that we can't erase.

My hope is that as the public becomes more educated about the power of DNA evidence, criminals will be get deterred. My heart goes out to Jennifer Schuett who had the courage to stand up and go public with her story. I admire her courage and hope that others may do the same so that the world may become a safer place.

Will DNA evidence reveal Le's killer?

The story about Annie Le, a Yale student who has killed, is all over the news. Now, CNN is reporting that one man (a Yale employee) is in custody. However, no arrests have been made yet.

Will DNA evidence reveal Le's killer? Due to the sensitive nature of this ongoing investigation, very little information has been released to the public. We know that her body was found in a medical research building. We also know that there were multiple surveillance cameras. As crime scene investigators work on solving this mystery, let's hope that this comes to an end quickly. On TV's CSI, the killer always seems to confess at the end of the show. I hope that we will see that type of closure for the Le family as well.

An atypical story of male sexual assault

I don't really know how often this happens. Three women (one was the mans' wife) apparently decided that they wanted to teach one man a lesson. According to this story on CNN, three women were upset by the fact that this one man was having sexual relations with all three of them (I'm sure the wife was quite upset). Therese Ziemann, Wendy Sewell, Michelle Belliveau and the man's wife are accused of felony false imprisonment, which carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison. We don't know the name of the man's wife because CNN does not name victims of alleged sexual assault and will not name the alleged victim's wife since they use the same last name.

One of the ladies texted the other women to let them know "he's tied up." I wonder if they uploaded any video clips to YouTube.

According to CNN, after the other women arrived (he was tied up), they peppered him with questions like, "which do you love more?" and "who do you want to grow old with?" Here's a memorable line from CNN: One of the women "told police she slapped her lover and asked "can you handle that?" before using Krazy Glue to stick his penis to his stomach."

Do you think this story will deter people from being unfaithful? 

How much is a kidney worth? $20,000 on the black market.

Wow, this is quite an interesting story. In this story, CNN is reporting that one kidney donor responded to a black market ad and received $20,000 for donating a kidney for organ transplantation. According to the editor's note: Since the FBI arrested a Brooklyn businessman in late July on federal charges of organ trafficking, CNN has been conducting a worldwide investigation into the sale of kidneys using willing donors and willing recipients from China to Israel to the United States.

Nick Rosen has made his story public by creating a documentary film called "Kidney Beans." Sounds like a very fascinating tale. When I stop to think about all the corruption that's in the world, I'm surprised that we're not hearing more stories of involuntary donation of organs - where people are literally forced to donate their organs. I've heard of rumors that prisoners in China are often forced to donate their organs (I have no idea of this is true, so I'm not trying to spread rumors). I wonder how many unreported organ transplants occur in other countries. If Israel is really leading the world in organ trafficking, I wonder which countries are second and third. My guess would be countries where human rights laws are not heavily enforced.

I know several people who have donated kidneys. It's very noble and I respect them highly for their sacrifice. It's such a shame to think that some are doing it for cash (and that others may be forced into it).

Alleged kidnapper Phillip Garrido kept a blog

According to CNN, the alleged kidnapper Phillip Garrido kept a blog (http://voicesrevealed.blogspot.com). Garrido's blog entries are posted by "THEMANWHOSPOKEWITHHISMIND." The blog currently has hundreds of unmoderated comments.

Considering the nature of the current case, I doubt this blog will remain online very long. This story has now reached international levels and I have to think that someone at Google will shut down this blog. According to the nature of his content, it sounds like he thought he had mind controlling powers. It seems like Garrido was delusional and/or he may have had some type of psychiatric illness. However, I'm not his doctor, so there's no way I could know that.

My heart goes out to Jaycee Lee Dugard and her entire family. I wish you the best as you restart a new life in freedom.

Jaycee Lee Dugard and a life of isolation

This really is a tragic story and it's all over the news. What a way to start the weekend. In case you haven't heard, Jaycee Dugard is a woman who was abducted at the age of 11 and she lived in some backyard sheds for 18 years. Essentially, she was living in a primitive environment (akin to camping) and she even gave birth to two girls in this type of environment. According to CNN, Phillip Garrido is a registered sex offender, listed as having been convicted of forcible rape. How in the world did the authorities find these tarps and sheds? According to the story on CNN, "a psychiatrist envisioned a slow and overwhelming adjustment for Jaycee Lee Dugard." She and her daughters have been living in complete isolation. Can you imagine what it must be like to transition into modern society? To read about the California backyard sheds, click here. Image source: CNN (age-progression image)

Breast implants reveal identity of a strangled female body

You don't see this every day. The body of a woman was mangled to conceal her identity by her killer. The body had no teeth, no fingers. How did investigators go about identifying her? Through the serial numbers on her breast implants. The former swimsuit model was identified as Jasmine Fiore, 28 who lived in California. According to a CNN report, she may have been strangled and the suspect at large is Ryan Alexander Jenkins, a reality TV contestant whom Jasmine Fiore, 28, married in March. Seems like an interesting setup for a CSI (crime scene investigation) episode. If this story fascinates you, click here to read the CNN story titled, "Model's breast implants prove key to identifying body."

Don't try to fake your own death

There's a story on CNN about Marcus Schrenker who tried to fake his own death by crashing a plane. He was sentenced to four years in prison. Why would anyone want to fake his/her own death? In this case, Schrenker was charged in Indiana with one felony count of an unlawful act by a compensated adviser and unlawful transaction by an investment adviser. Authorities said they think he defrauded investors through three companies he owns.

According to the CNN story, Schrenker apparently had cuts on his wrists from a suicide attempt. I wonder if that happened after he realized that his plans had failed. Or, was he in such emotional and mental distress that he acted irrationally? Was he sane? In any case, he will have some time to think about his mistakes. I hope he learns from his mistakes and changes his life. Read the CNN story here.

Miami drug wholesaler convicted of conspiring to divert growth hormones

Here's the latest press release:

MIAMI PRESCRIPTION DRUG WHOLESALER CONVICTED

Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and David W. Bourne, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office, announced that after a two week trial before U.S. District Judge Alan S. Gold, a jury convicted Arnesto Segredo, 43, of Miami, of conspiring to divert the prescription drugs Serostim and Nutropin AQ, both human growth hormones, and one count of causing the diversion of these human growth hormones, in interstate commerce. Sentencing is scheduled for October 23, 2009 at 4:00 p.m.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Segredo caused California-based human growth hormone suppliers, all of which were unlicensed to engage in the wholesale distribution of prescription drugs in California, to regularly ship to him in Miami hundreds of boxes of Serostim, and some Nutropin AQ, from 2000 through the end of 2002. Serostim is an injectable drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of AIDS-wasting syndrome in HIV-infected patients, and Nutropin AQ is an injectable drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency, including children with short stature.

From 2000 through 2001, Segredo operated Life Extension Institute, a Miami-based prescription drug wholesaler, which was also not licensed to engage in the distribution of prescription drugs in Florida. He later operated through Genendo Purchasing Organization, a Miami-based prescription drug wholesaler that became licensed in Florida in July 2001. A significant portion of the Serostim that Segredo distributed through these two companies originated from California-based AIDS patients who sold their Serostim supplies secured from the Medi-Cal Medicaid program.

Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Bonau of the Economic and Environmental Crimes Section, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Varrone, a Trial Attorney with the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

A pregnant woman in Mass was killed and her baby is missing

This is really a disturbing story, but perhaps there is an opportunity to leverage social media (like Twitter and Blogs) to help with this medically-related criminal case. According to this story on CNN, a pregnant woman (Darlene Haynes) living in Worcester was killed and her 8-month-old fetus was taken out of her body. Police say the missing infant could survive, but would need immediate medical attention. Anyone with information on the case or the whereabouts of the baby is urged to call Worcester detectives at 508-799-8651. More details can be found on Boston.com

Health Data Hacked at UC Berkeley

This doesn't sound good. Data security breaches are occurring all over the country (see: Hacked: Medical Data on 8 Million Virginia Residents)

Hackers (or maybe there's just one hacker) have compromised personal health information on over 160,000 individuals at the University of California Berkeley. The hackers attacked restricted computer databases in the campus' health service center and probably gained access to personally identifiable information used for billing, such as Social Security numbers, and non-treatment medical information such as immunization history, UHS medical record numbers, dates of visits or names of providers seen. Image source: Health IT News