The Wrong Drug Torments a Four-Year-Old to Death
The youngster named Ian Malone, after suffering through a short four year life with numerous physical and mental defects, died in Everett, WA on May 1, 2004. The cause of his needless suffering was mistakes made during his birth process.
When Christine Malone’s pregnancy was taking what her medical doctor thought was too long, he decided to induce labor. The drug Dr. Roger Anderson chose to use was one the manufacturer explicitly warned should never be used for that purpose.
According to the Physician’s Desk Reference, Cytotec® was approved by the FDA for the treatment of ulcers. It is never to be used in pregnancy as it can cause abortion and pregnancy complications resulting in maternal and fetal death.
As a result, Ian’s short life was downright tragic. He suffered severe brain damage at birth. His problems included not being able to hold his head up, suck, swallow or gag properly, and he required 16 hours or more of nursing care daily. He got nutrition through a feeding tube in his abdomen, breathed with a ventilator, took medication daily to prevent seizures and needed a sedative to sleep.
That the drug Cytotec was administered to Ian’s mother was a definite blunder. Equally disturbing is the fact that the obstetrician, Roger Andersen, was even allowed to be practicing medicine at the time of the incident. He had an open investigation against him by the state of Washington, and his work privileges had previously been restricted by his hospital, Providence Seattle Medical Center. He had been required to participate in a monitoring and proctoring program regarding his obstetrical patients. He had also received repeated warnings regarding his failure to establish safety protocols for his midwife patient referrals, which Christine was.
Dylan and Christine Malone, Ian’s parents, have undergone much personal sacrifice in their crusade to bring greater attention to medical malpractice issues. They want to ensure that other families do not suffer through the same kind of negligence that stopped Ian’s life so short. They have created a website, www.babyian.com, to share Ian’s story and to educate the public about healthcare reform.
