UCSD, Doctor Face Lawsuits After Overdose

UC San Diego and others at the hospital system are facing a series of lawsuits over the handling of a former anesthesiologist who allegedly stole drugs intended for patients and overdosed in a hospital bathroom, according to a report in MedPage Today.

One lawsuit alleges a patient woke up during surgery after Dr. Bradley Hay used sedatives meant for the patient.

"The big elephant in the room is whether the patients received enough sedative or whether maybe he needed that drug and the patient got less. Now that's something for the courts to decide," said Cheryl Clark, a reporter with MedPage Today.

In a deposition, Dr. Hay admitted to abusing drugs while on the job.

KPBS reached out to UC San Diego hospital system and a spokeswoman said they do not comment on pending litigation.

Clark joined Midday Edition on Tuesday to discuss her reporting.

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