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Fertility Fraud
| I was a lead reporter
on the Pulitzer-winning investigation of the University of California fertility
clinic, where doctors took eggs and embryos from patients and gave them to other
patients without consent. As a result of our series, the state legislature passed a law making it a felony to steal eggs and embryos, the University of California paid more than $20 million to settle over 100 lawsuits, the clinic was closed and the doctors were indicted. |
Wednesday, May 17, 1995
Fertility doctors put patients through unneeded
surgery for research without consent
The UCI fertility clinic is the target of at least five investigations. UCI Medical
Center severs its relationship with the clinic, which will close June 2.
Wednesday, May 24,
1995
A couple's embryos were given without consent
to a woman who bore twins
Couple become the second to say they didn't consent
to let a UCI fertility clinic doctor give their embryos away.
Tuesday, June 6, 1995
UCI not adequately monitoring clinics
OB/GYN department didn't begin
to oversee fertility practice until after hospital workers blew the whistle on
doctors, report states.
Thursday,
June 8, 1995
"This
will scar me for life:" First clinic patients speak on the record
Wednesday, June 14,
1995
Clinic doctors punished whistle-blower
Saturday,
August 12, 1995
Secret
UCI deal offered to relinquish key records that allegedly trace egg thefts, documents
say
Seven
months after uncovering evidence of egg and embryo misuse, UCI officials proposed
a secret agreement in April that called for doctors at the Center for Reproductive
Health to quietly resign, according to documents obtained Friday.
Saturday,
November 4, 1995
Clinic
scandal doubles: Secret handwritten list reveals at least 60 fertility victims
A 1994 seven-page handwritten list tracks donations from 110 women to 93 recipients.
While the document does not indicate if donations were made with consent, 27 women
have said in interviews or through their attorneys that they did not consent.
Records including handwritten logs and partial patient charts show that their
eggs were given to 28 recipients.
Sunday,
November 5, 1995
UCI wanted patients kept in the dark, whistle-blower
says
A former UCI administrator who reported egg theft allegations last
year said university officials did not want patients to know they were victimized.
Saturday, November
11, 1995
Egg
thefts during exams alleged
At least nine women who were anesthetized for what they
believed were routine surgeries to diagnose reproductive problems instead had
their eggs stolen, records and interviews show. The stolen eggs were implanted
in other women and resulted in at least three births.
Saturday,
November 16, 1996
Fertility industry "profoundly effected"
by UCI scandal