Las Vegas Sun

May 13, 2008

Topic:

Hepatitis scare

Dr. Dipak Desai, majority owner of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, leaves Las Vegas City Hall on March 3. Desai has surrendered his medical license pending the outcome of a state investigation.

Photo by Steve Marcus / Las Vegas Sun

Dr. Dipak Desai, majority owner of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, leaves Las Vegas City Hall on March 3. Desai has surrendered his medical license pending the outcome of a state investigation.

The largest hepatitis outbreak scare in the nation is playing out in Las Vegas, where 50,000 patients at an endoscopy center may have been exposed to infectious diseases because of unhygienic practices.

Share Your Experience

Patients and current or former employees of Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada who wish to share their experiences at the clinic are invited to e-mail Las Vegas Sun health reporter Marshall Allen.

Seventy-seven patients have so far been identified by health authorities as having been potentially infected with hepatitis C at the clinic, which has been shut down — along with five sister clinics in the valley.

Criminal investigations are underway and the state’s medical and nursing boards are investigating the situation, which some nurses say was triggered by the clinic owner’s drive for profit at the expense of patient safety.

Frequently asked questions about the incident

Archive highlights

Voices of reason for health care crisis

Sun, Mar 16, 2008

In the midst of the largest hepatitis C scare in the nation’s history, many Nevadans have lost confidence in their health care providers. About 40,000 people have been told they ...

Assembly-line colonoscopies at clinic described

Sun, Mar 9, 2008

If you want to get a sense of the rushed medical procedures that patients encountered inside the clinic that triggered the unprecedented hepatitis scare, consider Duke Breuer’s experience. After undergoing ...

How hepatitis probe led to clinic

Sun, Mar 2, 2008

There was no cause for alarm when, on Dec. 4, health investigators learned of a case of acute hepatitis C.

All stories

Clinic patients’ choice: Recourse or privacy

Sat, May 10, 2008

Hundreds of plaintiffs suing over Southern Nevada’s hepatitis C scare could wind up victims of the court system, as the massive litigation embarks on a course destined to pry into ...

Board chief fires back, backs off

Thu, May 8, 2008

The executive director of the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners unleashed a tirade against a county prosecutor before saying the board would turn over to investigators any complaints in ...

Medical board refuses to release Desai complaints

Wed, May 7, 2008

The criminal investigation into the conduct of Dr. Dipak Desai, the physician at the center of the nation’s biggest hepatitis C scare, has hit a roadblock: the Nevada State Board ...

Desai tried but failed in car transaction

Thu, May 1, 2008

Dr. Dipak Desai’s recent attempt to ship his two Mercedes-Benz cars to Dubai was not successful because a Las Vegas Mercedes-Benz dealership refused to sign off on the arrangement.

Desai tried shipping vehicles overseas. Would he have followed?

Wed, Apr 30, 2008

Dr. Dipak Desai, under investigation for his role in the nation’s biggest hepatitis C scare, tried shipping two personal luxury vehicles to Dubai.

Reid seeks $26 million for hepatitis scare

Fri, Apr 18, 2008

The money Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is requesting would go toward ensuring the estimated 40,000 patients who have been potentially exposed to hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV during ...

Clinics pay up, avoid facing angry patients

Tue, Apr 8, 2008

There were no beads of sweat from twitchy witnesses. No one was sworn in only to take the Fifth to avoid self-incrimination. And there were no tough questions from accusatory ...

Desai expected to skip hearing

Mon, Apr 7, 2008

Las Vegas city marshals will be on hand in the event emotions become too heated. Members of the City Council will make a special appearance. And a large crowd is ...

Congress cool to calls for hearings on health care

Sat, Apr 5, 2008

Lawmakers from communities nationwide hit by hepatitis C scares similar to that in Las Vegas are calling for congressional investigations, but they may face stiff resistance from those concerned about ...

More unsanitary procedures documented

Wed, Apr 2, 2008

The disclosure in February that 40,000 people were at risk of infectious disease because of dangerous injection practices at a Las Vegas endoscopy clinic stunned a community already wary of ...

Inspectors: Overworked, underpaid, unprepared

Sat, Mar 29, 2008

In a state known for loose governmental regulation and oversight, Nevada’s agency in charge of inspecting medical facilities has failed to follow its own policy in conducting those examinations.

Get off board, just because I say so

Thu, Mar 27, 2008

Gov. Jim Gibbons has backed off a key reason he gave for asking three members of the state’s medical board to resign, with his office acknowledging Wednesday that the board ...

Angry public, hopeful leaders

Tue, Mar 25, 2008

The state faces a defining moment that will determine many future aspects of health care oversight and regulation as the public, reeling from the Endoscopy Center of Souther Nevada revelations, ...

Clinic doctors finally to talk — under oath

Tue, Mar 25, 2008

The public may finally get answers — from doctors under oath — about the dangerous injection practices that led to the nation’s largest hepatitis C scare, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar ...

Committee will work to restore faith in health care

Sun, Mar 23, 2008

These past few weeks Nevada residents have experienced an enormous crisis of confidence in the safety and quality of our health care system.

Videos

IBTV: Jon Ralston:  Now That's Juice
IBTV: Jon Ralston: Now That's Juice
The owners of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada must forfeit their business license and ...
Face to Face: Done Deal
Face to Face: Done Deal
The City of Las Vegas hearing into the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada was a ...
Endoscopy Public Comment
Endoscopy Public Comment
The massive hepatitis C scare is a defining moment in Nevada health care, for doctors, ...
Endoscopy Patient Reacts
Endoscopy Patient Reacts
Arnold “Duke” Breuer of Las Vegas went to a Quest laboratory Monday to have a ...
Hepatitis Scare Roundtable
Hepatitis Scare Roundtable
The Sun invited four experts to sit around a table and hold a conversation about ...
A Professional Approach
A Professional Approach
Senior epidemiologist Brian Labus shares his professional approach to the largest hepatitis C scare in ...

Slideshows

Endoscopy Center hearing
At a City Hall hearing Monday, attorneys representing the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada appealed ...

Calendar