Judge Hears Case Filed by Renowned ICU Doctor: Do Doctors or Administrators Decide Treatment for Critically Ill COVID Patients?

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Arguments over a complaint filed in the Circuit Court for the City of Norfolk, Virginia, were presented Thursday to decide if patients of one of the world’s most published critical care physicians can be given lifesaving treatments for COVID-19 that a local hospital system has prohibited.

Paul Marik, MD, one of the world’s leading critical care physicians and the Director of the ICU at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, filed a lawsuit on November 9 after the Sentara Hospital System prohibited the use of several medications that have been safely and effectively used to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients for over a year. The presiding judge in the case will decide on the reinstatement of several treatments that the Sentara Healthcare System currently bans as early as the end of the week. 

“We appreciate the attentiveness of the judge in this matter and are encouraged by his recognition of the need for a timely decision,” said Fred Taylor, attorney for Dr. Marik. “Doctors in Virginia and across the world remain on the front lines of this pandemic. Now is not the time for hospitals to be tying the hands of doctors when they need everything at their disposal and not arbitrary restrictions that violate both the law and the trusted doctor-patient relationship.” 

 According to observers today, more than 150 people were outside on the steps of the courthouse holding signs and calling out support for Dr. Marik and his legal team.

“I am once again humbled by the outpouring of support from the people today,” said Paul Marik, MD, chief, Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, who practices in the Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. “Many of them shared stories of their loved ones who are in hospitals and unable to get the right treatments for COVID-19. This case is for them and for the doctors who want to practice medicine the way we were meant to – without the interference of hospital administrators.”

More information will be posted on the FLCCC homepage, https://covid19criticalcare.com as it becomes available. 

 

About the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance

The FLCCC Alliance was organized in March 2020 by a group of highly published, world renowned Critical Care physician/scholars – with the academic support of allied physicians from around the world – to research and develop lifesaving protocols for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in all stages of illness. Their MATH+ Hospital Treatment Protocol – introduced in March 2020, has saved thousands of patients who were critically ill with COVID-19. Now, the FLCCC’s new I-Mask+ Prophylaxis and Early At-Home Outpatient Treatment Protocol with Ivermectin has been released – and is a potential solution to the global pandemic.

For more information: https://covid19criticalcare.com/