New Jersey Personal Injury Blog

Toms River Oncologist Loses Medical License Following Hepatitis B Outbreak

After a medical license suspension of over two years, the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners revoked the license of Dr. Parvez Dara for a total of four years and fined him $30,000 in civil penalties due to “gross and repeated acts of negligence,” according to NJ.com. Because his license had already been suspended, however, he would be able to reapply for it after 18 months.

State regulators had suspended Dr. Parvez Dara’s medical license in April 2009 after he was linked to a hepatitis B outbreak, according to The Associated Press. An estimated 3,000 of Dr. Parvez Dara’s patients were warned to get tested for hepatitis B after positive results in five cancer patients. Hepatitis B is transmitted through exposure to infected blood and can potentially cause severe liver damage. To date, 29 of his patients have been infected with hepatitis B.

His license was revoked after extensive investigation of Dr. Dara’s Toms River oncology office revealed long-term and blatant health code violations such as:

• Blood stains on the floor and in containers;
• Unsterile saline and gauze;
• Use of contaminated gloves;
• Open medication vials;
• Misuse of antiseptics;
• Unwrapped syringes being exposed to chemotherapy fumes; and
• Medication preparation near the sink where employees wash their hands.

A physician is responsible for maintaining a clean and sterile environment, free of infectious contamination. An oncologist has even greater responsibility to do so because cancer patients typically have compromised immune systems as a result of medical treatment of their disease.

The experienced New Jersey medical negligence attorneys at Blume Goldfaden find this type of disregard for the safety and health of sick patients deplorable. If you or a loved one has suffered illness or injury as the result of medical malpractice, we can help you investigate your possible claim and determine whether you may have a meritorious claim. For a free interview contact us at 973-635-5400. If we feel that your case requires investigation, we will obtain your medical records and review them at no charge with our in-house medical staff.