A renowned Boston-area doctor has been accused of sexually assaulting at least 82 women by forcing his rheumatology patients to undergo needless gynecological exams.
Dr. Derrick Todd is facing three lawsuits from dozens of women who claim he performed unnecessary pelvic, rectal and breast exams, digitally penetrated them and asked inappropriate sexual questions “for his own sexual gratification.”
A class-action suit was filed Wednesday against the former chief of clinical rheumatology at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, where he worked for 14 years.
Todd resigned in late July after two other physicians questioned the appropriateness of pelvis exams for his rheumatology patients, according to the Boston Globe.
Three patients also expressed concerns about the exams.
The medical facility reported Todd to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine after he left and notified his past and active patients. It is unclear if the board is investigating him.
In September, Todd voluntarily agreed to stop practicing medicine in the US, in a letter to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
He denies any wrongdoing, according to his lawyer Ingrid Martin, who told the Globe he is “cooperating fully” with any Board of Registration in Medicine probe.
The first lawsuit — which has been sealed as is the class-action suit — was filed on Sept. 29 by a Jane Doe. It alleged that abuse occurred at Charles River Medical Associates in Framingham, about 20 miles from Boston, where Todd also used to work.
The woman’s lawyer, Stacey L. Pietrowicz — who represents more than one victim — told the Boston Globe that Todd did the exams under the “guise of medical care” at multiple locations.
A second woman, Marianne DiTrani, filed a suit on Oct. 10, accusing Todd of “engaging in deviant sexual acts,” which included sexual abuse, having her strip naked in front of him, groping and fondling her breasts and genitals for “phony and medically unnecessary” exams, and digitally penetrating her vagina, among other things, according to the lawsuit which was viewed by The Post.
DiTrani, 48, also accused hospital staff knew about the abuse but “actively concealed” it.
During her first visit with Todd, she said he asked her “inappropriate, invasive, and exploitative questions about her appearance, sexual history, and sexual activity.” During the same visit, she was “coerced” into “disrobing in front of him” where he performed a breast examination and “fondled” her nipples before doing a pelvic exam where he “rubbed” her genitalia and made “sexualized comments,” the lawsuit said.
DeTrani said the pelvic exam was performed without the proper tools normally used during the exam.
He also allegedly sent her personal text messages outside of visits.
Since the two individual lawsuits, many have come forward with similar allegations, with alleged abuse dating back to 2011 and through July 2023.
Alongside Todd, four physicians and Charles River Medical Associates, Brigham and others are listed as defended in the class action suit.
Charles River Medical Associates said it never received any complaints about Todd.
Brigham Chief Medical Officer Charles Morris said the hospital regretted the “harm Dr. Todd’s actions has caused our patients and their families.”