Dr. Heberle Vindicated!
Vindicated Doctor Returns to Medicine (full text); David Bruce; Erie Times-News; 2007-04-05. Source.
Excerpt:
“The community spoke when the jury acquitted Dr. Heberle and he deserves a chance like any member of the community in the same situation who wants to return to his or her job,” [Millcreek Community Hospital spokesman] Bellicini said. … [Heberle] still thinks about his former chronic-pain patients. ‘Nothing has changed for them, except that there are fewer doctors than ever who are willing to prescribe the drugs they need to manage their pain,’ [he] said.
Comment (DeLuca): Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, seriously; congratulations to Paul and his wife, Christine.
I met Paul and Christine only once, when I attended one day of his trial in 2006. I liked them very much. Paul Heberle is a skilled and deeply ethical physician, and Christine has become a tireless and articulate advocate in the Pain Relief Network movement.
I have thoroughly documented the public health debacle in Erie, PA, in: Erie, 2006: Klees Imprisoned, Heberle Exonerated, Patients Abandoned - (WAR ON PAIN SUFFERERS #10). Heberle’s acquittal was a tremendous victory for the Pain Relief Network. PRN’s Siobhan Reynolds worked closely with a solid defense team and came up with an aggressive defense strategy qualitatively different from the usual legal tact taken in these cases. [See: The Doctor Wasn't Cruel Enough by Maia Szalavitz] And PRN’s Dr. Frank Fisher was devastating as expert witness for the defense (at one point accusing the prosecution of crimes against humanity). But it was probably Paul Heberle’s own testimony and bearing on the stand that ultimately won over the jury.
But the cost of this victory in terms of ongoing raw human suffering is horrifying - the ‘Chilling Effect‘ writ large. Opioid management for chronic pain has been severely limited in Erie, Dr. Klees is serving 12-24 years in prison, and the Heberles’ have been severely traumatized and financially destroyed, and may lose their home despite Paul’s professional recovery.
But for today, let us be happy. A heroic and compassionate physician has been returned to his community. PRN’s aggressive defense strategy forged by Reynolds and Fisher was tested and proven. We Won.
We kicked their asses, comrades! Good for Heberle, good for PRN, good for us.
..alex…
Tags: author=deluca, chilling effect, good faith, govt misconduct, legitimate practice, pain crisis, persecuted physicians, prosecution, public health, statistics
Comment by
wfmiii
Congratulations Dr. Heberle!! So glad to read this!
What about Dr. Mantia? Does the PA Medical Board need to examine his practice in the court room?
Have Federal or State prosecutors ever gone after one of these “hired guns” anywhere in this country? I’d bet not. I’d bet they get a pass on this selective and inappropriate “enforcement.”
Bill