dan9999
11-13-2009, 11:46 PM
Dr. 'Jerk'-yll sperm probe
By LIZ SADLER and CAROLYN SALAZAR in Southport, Conn.
and DAN MANGAN in NY
New York Post
November 13, 2009
A Connecticut doctor is under fire after allegations surfaced that he substituted his own sperm for that of a patient's husband to conceive their twins.
The shocking claim against Dr. Ben Ramaley, of Greenwich -- made in a 2005 lawsuit that was later settled -- and the slap on the wrist health officials gave the fertility doctor for using sperm other than the husband's, has sparked a probe by Connecticut's attorney general.
"My office is seeking information from the Department of Public Health concerning deeply disturbing allegations against Dr. Ramaley and DPH's involvement in this case," said Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.
Ramaley has denied the allegations.
Stamford lawyer Lindy Urso, who was looking into the case, blasted the state Health Department for failing to order the doctor to take a DNA test to see whether he is the twins' biological dad. Urso also said it should have been referred to the AG for possible prosecution.
"This thing was kept quiet. Whitewashed," fumed Urso.
In 2002, the unidentified Connecticut couple went to Ramaley, 62, for help conceiving, court records show.
Ramaley performed several artificial inseminations on the woman, supposedly with her husband's sperm, records show. She became pregnant with twin girls.
"After their birth, [the couple] were surprised at the very fair complexion of the twins, because [the husband] is African-American and [the wife] is Caucasian," court records state. "In March 2004, DNA testing performed at the suggestion of the twins' pediatrician showed that [the wife] was the mother but that [the husband] was not the biological father."
The couple sued Ramaley in 2005 claiming that the doctor "intentionally inserted his own sperm into" the wife, causing her to become pregnant. The suit was quickly settled out of court with a gag order imposed.
But when the state Public Health Department learned of the case, it investigated Ramaley, and found he had "inseminated the female patient with the wrong man's sperm," according to department records.
The Health Department did not determine whether Ramaley had used his own sperm because "the patient . . . refused to cooperate with the investigation," said department spokesman Bill Gerrish.
After Ramaley did not contest the claim that someone other than the husband's sperm was accidentally used, he agreed in 2008 to pay a $10,000 fine and to refrain from performing artificial inseminations. Ramaley earlier this year willingly forfeited his New York medical license because of the same case.
By LIZ SADLER and CAROLYN SALAZAR in Southport, Conn.
and DAN MANGAN in NY
New York Post
November 13, 2009
A Connecticut doctor is under fire after allegations surfaced that he substituted his own sperm for that of a patient's husband to conceive their twins.
The shocking claim against Dr. Ben Ramaley, of Greenwich -- made in a 2005 lawsuit that was later settled -- and the slap on the wrist health officials gave the fertility doctor for using sperm other than the husband's, has sparked a probe by Connecticut's attorney general.
"My office is seeking information from the Department of Public Health concerning deeply disturbing allegations against Dr. Ramaley and DPH's involvement in this case," said Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.
Ramaley has denied the allegations.
Stamford lawyer Lindy Urso, who was looking into the case, blasted the state Health Department for failing to order the doctor to take a DNA test to see whether he is the twins' biological dad. Urso also said it should have been referred to the AG for possible prosecution.
"This thing was kept quiet. Whitewashed," fumed Urso.
In 2002, the unidentified Connecticut couple went to Ramaley, 62, for help conceiving, court records show.
Ramaley performed several artificial inseminations on the woman, supposedly with her husband's sperm, records show. She became pregnant with twin girls.
"After their birth, [the couple] were surprised at the very fair complexion of the twins, because [the husband] is African-American and [the wife] is Caucasian," court records state. "In March 2004, DNA testing performed at the suggestion of the twins' pediatrician showed that [the wife] was the mother but that [the husband] was not the biological father."
The couple sued Ramaley in 2005 claiming that the doctor "intentionally inserted his own sperm into" the wife, causing her to become pregnant. The suit was quickly settled out of court with a gag order imposed.
But when the state Public Health Department learned of the case, it investigated Ramaley, and found he had "inseminated the female patient with the wrong man's sperm," according to department records.
The Health Department did not determine whether Ramaley had used his own sperm because "the patient . . . refused to cooperate with the investigation," said department spokesman Bill Gerrish.
After Ramaley did not contest the claim that someone other than the husband's sperm was accidentally used, he agreed in 2008 to pay a $10,000 fine and to refrain from performing artificial inseminations. Ramaley earlier this year willingly forfeited his New York medical license because of the same case.