Weston Lawyers: The Case of the Physician Smuggler?

At Freedland Russo it seems like the burning question these days is “Doctors – Can You Trust Them?” Now before anyone starts writing us nasty emails or leaving some not so flattering comments about our mothers, let us explain.

We know that for every Doctor that we see in the news that has gotten into some sort of trouble, there are a myriad of others who haven’t. That IS the reality. But the perception of the general public is much different. Next to our clergy, physicians should be our most trusted caretakers.

The case of Dr. Vinod Chandrashekam Patwardhan is a disturbing one. It clearly shows that people like him who are qualified and expected to make the right decisions for their patients often sacrifice their integrity on the altar of financial profitability. Dr. Patwardhan was arrested in 2008 and charged with drug smuggling. Recently, his case went to court and he was found guilty of one count of conspiracy and three counts of smuggling. He was also found guilty of two counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead. Items that were introduced into evidence during the trial showed that the doctor had purchased cancer drugs which were not approved by the FDA from India, the Philippines, Honduras and Panama. Records indicated that Dr. Patwardhan and/or his associates had made 34 trips to the aforementioned countries and purchased close to $1.3 million of illegal drugs! He now faces a maximum penalty of 71 years in prison. He is currently awaiting sentencing.

Defense attorneys sought to protect the doctor's reputation by stating his actions had only been done for the patients good. In other words from their perspective the ends justified the means. Clearly, it never does

There's another important caveat to this case. The good doctor and his associates would have still been smuggling drugs had a suspicious staff member not reported to the authorities. Once again, this highlights the importance of whistleblowers in any organization. Were it not for whistleblower, these issues would not have been brought to the forefront.

We believe that this case is also going to give pause to the general public. It's important that every citizen and every patient take responsibility for their treatment. It is imperative that you perform due diligence before allowing a doctor to treat you. Confirm his/her credentials, check to see what complaints have been filed against them and talk to other patients who have used that same physician. When it comes to your health, you can't take enough precautions. Meanwhile, if your gut tells you to seek treatment elsewhere - listen. It's often your best defense.