A Tucson fertility doctor, James Blute III, was recently sued by former patients who claim that Dr. Blute used his own sperm to inseminate women instead of anonymous donor sperm that the patients paid for. The plaintiffs found through a DNA test that the daughter was in fact Dr. Blute’s biological daughter, a finding that shocked the family. The Tucson medical malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Blute also includes allegations of fraud and sexual battery.
In an investigative report done by News 4 Tucson, they report that approximately 30 to 40 similar cases are pending nationwide that involve hundreds of victims similar to Dr. Blute’s patients. The report also highlights a sobering reality that only five states around the country have laws that make it a criminal act to inseminate patients with the doctor’s own sperm. Such an act is called “Fertility Fraud.”
Thankfully, an Arizona legislator is currently working on proposed legislation to make Fertility Fraud a crime in Arizona.
Much like other types of sexual abuse, medical sexual battery often goes under-reported. Doctors hold a position of power in the doctor-patient relationship and patients often do what their doctor tells them to do, trusting that it is the right thing to do for them. When doctors sexually assault patients, they must be held accountable.
If you or a loved one has been sexually assaulted by a medical provider in Tucson or has been a victim of Tucson medical malpractice, don’t wait to contact the experienced lawyers at Snyder & Wenner who are ready and able to represent you.