William E. Hurwitz, M.D., J.D. - 1973-1975 Medical Director, U.S. Peace Corps, Brazil
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Brazil:
Peace Corps Brazil:
The Peace Corps in Brazil:
December 16, 2004: Headlines: COS - Brazil: Medicine: Crime: Pain: MSNBC: Dr. William E. Hurwitz, who volunteered as the medical director for Peace Corps Brazil in the 1970s, convicted of drug charges :
William E. Hurwitz, M.D., J.D. - 1973-1975 Medical Director, U.S. Peace Corps, Brazil
William E. Hurwitz, M.D., J.D. - 1973-1975 Medical Director, U.S. Peace Corps, Brazil
William E. Hurwitz, M.D., J.D. - 1973-1975 Medical Director, U.S. Peace Corps, Brazil
[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Donna Paduano ] [ Dr. Hooshmand ] [ Dr. Hurwitz ] [ Natalie Arndt ] [ Dr. Koechling ]
Dr. D. Hurwitz Virginia, USA
Title of Discussion:
Opioid Therapy: Opening Pandora's Pill Box
A review of some of the clinical, economic, and social dilemmas implicated in the aggressive use of opioid medications to treat intractable pain.
About the Doctor
Dr. Hurwitz is an internist and has been in practice in the Washington, DC metropolitan area since 1977. He began treating patients with intractable pain in 1978 and has treated hundreds of such patients with opioid analgesic medications. In treating these patients, Dr. Hurwitz has developed an aggressive approach to pain control and to the management of opioid side effects.
His aggressive use of often large doses of short-acting opioid medications has brought him into conflict with regulatory authorities, resulting in the suspension of his license to practice medicine in 1991 and 1996. He resumed practice in the summer of 1998 and continues to treat patients with intractable pain in McLean, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
The regulatory actions against Dr. Hurwitz prompted numerous articles and news reports and have contributed to a public reassessment of the adverse impact of medical and drug regulatory policies on the treatment of patients in pain. He is married. has two daughters, and I lives in McLean, Virginia.
Curriculum Vitae
William E. Hurwitz, M.D., J.D. 941 Swinks Mill Road McLean, Virginia 22102 703 790-8007 Fax: 703 790-1973 drbill@drhurwitz.com www.drhurwitz.com
EDUCATION
B.A., Mathematics, Columbia College, 1966 M.D., Stanford University, 1971 M.A., Sociology, Stanford University, 1971 J.D. George Mason University School of Law, 1996
MEDICAL TRAINING
Intern, Internal Medicine, Boston V.A. Hospital, 1971-1972 Resident in Internal Medicine, Washington V.A. Hospital, 1975-1976 Clinical Scholar, Robert Wood Johnson Program, George Washington University,1976-1977 Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine, 1977
MOST RECENT POSITION
July, 1998 to the present Internist in private practice in McLean, Virginia Practice limited to the treatment of patients with intractable pain.
1977 to August, 1996 Internist in private practice, Washington, D.C.
I have been involved with the medical management (including opioid medications) of patients with intractable pain since 1978. From June 1992 until May 1996, my practice grew to over 200 pain patients from all over the United States who had typically failed prior efforts at pain control. In the course of this clinical experience, I developed a variety of algorithms to facilitate the selection of medication, the titration of dose, and the control of side effects.
PREVIOUS AND CONCURRENT APPOINTMENTS
Nursing Home Medical Director
1978 to 1991 Medical Director, The Presbyterian Home of Washington, D.C. 1991 Medical Director, Arleigh Burke Pavilion, McLean, VA 1980-1983 Medical Director, The J.B. Johnson Nursing Center, Washington, D.C.
Other Employment
1973-1975 Medical Director, U.S. Peace Corps, Brazil
1972-1973 U.S. Public Health Service, Rockville, MD
Office of Evaluation and HMO Service, Health Service and Mental Health Administration, DHEW
OTHER POSITIONS
1993 to 1996, President, National Chronic Pain Outreach Association
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENT
1977 to present Clinical Instructor, Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical School
CLINICAL PRIVILEGES AND APPOINTMENTS
1977- August, 1996 Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington, D.C. Admitted to the Bar of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
You used to be my doctor long, long time ago and you were totally awesome. I appreciate it to this day what you did for me!
Hugs,
Joe
You made house visits to my 92 year old mother in Bethesda, Md. in 1987 and 1988 and I was extremely grateful to you for doing this. My mother had lived in Brazil for over 40 years. She died at Sibley Hospital in Feb. of 1988. I am completely mistified about this unfortunate turn of events which I read about today - Sept. 26, 2003.
Renee C.
|
By Melinda Tilghman (ca208-ch03-bl04.il-chicago0.sa.earthlink.net - 207.69.137.37) on Monday, March 08, 2004 - 2:01 pm: Edit Post |
This is from one of your many loyal patients who would do anything to help you. Just want you to know you are in my thoughts every second. What has been done to you is travesty of justice and has to be rectified. You are a true hero who is needlessly suffering just like the hundreds suffering because our courageous physician did not take the easy road and tell us "I am sorry but I can't help you". You are a doctor who took his hippocratic oath seriously. Do no harm. I and others love you and miss you terribly.
|
By Marya Briard (185-dcmp5.goeaston.net - 69.2.170.185) on Friday, December 17, 2004 - 10:32 pm: Edit Post |
Where is Dr. Bill?
This is from another one of your loyal patients who knew firsthand the depth of your honesty and compassion. I hope that everything works out for you swiftly.
Mary W. in NYC
My Dearest Cousin Billy,
You are loved not only by the patients you have helped but by your family! I am praying for this nightmare to be over so you can return home where you belong! I didn't think our justice system was so way off base, I used to have faith in it but, regretfully, our justice system is going down the tubes and unfortunately took you with it! I love you very much and I will always be there for you! Always, Gayle
|
By Anonymous (c-68-57-3-195.hsd1.fl.comcast.net - 68.57.3.195) on Tuesday, August 01, 2006 - 1:13 pm: Edit Post |
I hope you fry in hell for what you've done to my family and my loved one. You were so wreckless with a fragile life that you have shown yourself to be nothing but pure evil. I hope that you miss your family half as much as I miss mine. Maybe then you'd get a taste of what you've done. Rot in jail, and then in hell you bastard.
THANK YOU FOR TREATING ME LIKE A PERSON AND NOT AS A THING BECAUSE OF YOU I ALWAYS COMPARE OTHER DOCTORS TO YOU BUT ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS A PAYCHECK AND TILL THIS DAY I BEEN TREATED LIKE CRAP THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING A REAL DOCTOR WITH YOU THE BUCK STOPS HERE.THANK YOU
|
By dancehalldoc (24-117-65-64.cpe.cableone.net - 24.117.65.64) on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 - 4:30 pm: Edit Post |
My late husband was a psychiatrist who practiced in Texas. After our office manager was fired and indicted for stealing from us, she filed a complaint with the medical board. Although he did not receive treatment as horrible as you did, he was treated shamefully. We were told that for about $80,000, we could pursue his case all the way, but like you we often treated people who could not pay and it might as well have been $80 million.
Among other things, internists and gps would prescribe xanax and pain killers to patients for months or years, then suddenly decide they were addicted and totally cut them off. My husband would reinstate their medication and wean them off of it. He was accused of prescribing to known addicts.
I could go on, but I mostly wanted to give you some support and let you know that you are not alone (belated though it may be). I am a chronic pain patient myself and I often worry that something will happen to prevent me from seeing my doctor. It is so hard to find one who is aware of the truth in this area.
Bless you
|
By Gayle Kall (pool-68-237-125-221.ny325.east.verizon.net - 68.237.125.221) on Friday, April 27, 2007 - 4:02 pm: Edit Post |
To Anonymous, shame on you! You are too much of a coward to write your name! If you really knew my cousin he is a wonderful, loving, sincere, human being he has more of a heart for his fellow human being in one finger compared to you!
Please take your gruesome self away from this board and put your boredom some place else! We love you always Billy, Gayle