Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
USC To Be Required To Overhaul Sexual Assault Process Following Federal Investigation Into Gynecologist's Case
The New York Times: DeVos Orders U.S.C. To Address ‘Systemic Failures’ Over Arrested Gynecologist
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced Thursday an agreement with the University of Southern California that requires the school to overhaul its processes for responding to sexual assaults after the department found “systemic failures” in its response to abuse allegations against a former gynecologist, George Tyndall. The agreement requires the university to review the actions of current and former employees involved in the Tyndall matter to determine whether they should be disciplined, and to make reasonable efforts to contact and offer remedies to nine patients who may have been harmed over Mr. Tyndall’s 31-year medical career, and possibly to others. (Green, 2/27)
Los Angeles Times: Regulators Slam USC Handling Of Sex Abuse Cases As 'Reprehensible'
“What we have found at USC is shocking and reprehensible,” Kenneth L. Marcus, the department’s assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement. “No student should ever have to face the disgusting behavior that USC students had to deal with.” In finding that USC violated the civil rights of students, the department levied a long list of sanctions stemming from USC’s handling of complaints about Dr. George Tyndall, the sole full-time gynecologist at the student health clinic for 27 years. Tyndall, as The Times revealed nearly two years ago, was the subject of multiple complaints from patients and colleagues over the decades, including reports that he photographed women’s genitals, performed improper pelvic and breast exams and made suggestive comments during medical exams. (Hamilton and Ryan, 2/27)
NBC News: USC Mishandled Gynecologist's Sexual Abuse Reports For Decades, Feds Say
The findings further detail that the university’s top brass knew about serious allegations against Tyndall while it was already under investigation by the department over student allegations that USC mishandled sexual assault cases in late 2017 but failed to disclose them to federal agents. “We are certainly very disappointed by the responsiveness of the University of Southern California in this case,” said Kenneth Marcus, assistant secretary of civil rights for the department. (Kingkade, 2/27)
