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Doctor allegedly used weed killer on patients
Prosecutors say people with cancer, other diseases injected with insecticide
Updated: 6:16 a.m. ET Dec. 21, 2005
ATLANTA - Federal prosecutors say a doctor treated patients with cancer and other life-threatening diseases with weed killer and insecticide.
Dr. Totada Shanthaveerappa, 70, and a medical assistant face 87 counts, including health care fraud and distributing unapproved and misbranded drugs. The doctor is also charged with money laundering.
According to prosecutors, Shanthaveerappa owns and operates Integrated Medical Specialists and Integrated Chemotherapy Specialists in Stockbridge.
The clinic’s Web site says it provides “safe and effective, nontoxic, scientifically based alternative methods that can cure or control most cancer and other chronic disease.”
Prosecutors said the doctor and assistant Dan Bartoli, 63, injected numerous patients with unapproved and misbranded drugs, including Dinithrophenol, a commercial-grade weed killer and insecticide.
The two men also submitted false insurance claims which disguised the types of drugs and treatments they were providing, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors did not claim that anyone suffered any direct harm from the treatments.
Shanthaveerappa and Bartoli did not immediately return telephone calls Tuesday night.
© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Prosecutors say people with cancer, other diseases injected with insecticide
Updated: 6:16 a.m. ET Dec. 21, 2005
ATLANTA - Federal prosecutors say a doctor treated patients with cancer and other life-threatening diseases with weed killer and insecticide.
Dr. Totada Shanthaveerappa, 70, and a medical assistant face 87 counts, including health care fraud and distributing unapproved and misbranded drugs. The doctor is also charged with money laundering.
According to prosecutors, Shanthaveerappa owns and operates Integrated Medical Specialists and Integrated Chemotherapy Specialists in Stockbridge.
The clinic’s Web site says it provides “safe and effective, nontoxic, scientifically based alternative methods that can cure or control most cancer and other chronic disease.”
Prosecutors said the doctor and assistant Dan Bartoli, 63, injected numerous patients with unapproved and misbranded drugs, including Dinithrophenol, a commercial-grade weed killer and insecticide.
The two men also submitted false insurance claims which disguised the types of drugs and treatments they were providing, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors did not claim that anyone suffered any direct harm from the treatments.
Shanthaveerappa and Bartoli did not immediately return telephone calls Tuesday night.
© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
