Doctor sued as treatment leads to death of autistic boy
Mawra and Rufai Nadama, from Plymouth, accused Dr Roy Kerry of causing their son, Abubakar Tariq Nadama, to die of cardiac arrest at Kerry’s office immediately after the boy received chelation therapy on August 23, 2005.
Chelation removes heavy metals from the body and is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration only for acute heavy-metal poisoning that has been confirmed by blood tests.
Some people who believe autism is caused by a mercury-containing preservative once used in vaccines say chelation may also help autistic children.
“This is a real human tragedy that never should have happened,” said John Gismondi, the Pittsburgh attorney representing the Nadamas. “The doctor had no business administering this drug to a child, and he only made matters worse by giving it much too quickly.”
The Nadamas had moved to the Pittsburgh area to seek treatment for the boy’s autism.
Mr Gismondi said he believes the suit is the first filed in the US involving an autistic child who died from chelation therapy.
Kerry, of Greenville, Pennsylvania, did not immediately return a message left at his office.
The lawsuit also names another doctor who allegedly directed a medical assistant to administer the fatal dose at Kerry’s behest at the Advanced Integrative Medicine Centre in Portersville, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.
The Nadamas are also suing ApotheCure Inc, of Dallas, Texas, and several sister corporations, which they contend supplied, made or tested the chelation solution but allegedly did not provide appropriate warnings and instructions about its use.
ApotheCure did not immediately return a call for comment.
No criminal charges have been filed, but local and state prosecutors are investigating the boy’s death.
The Department of State, Pennsylvania’s physician licensing agency, filed six disciplinary charges in September against Kerry, including unprofessional conduct and breaching the standard of care.
Those charges were still pending and could result in fines or his licence being suspended or revoked.
