NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Dozens of women who say they suffered excruciating pain at a Yale University fertility clinic because a nurse stole fentanyl for her own use and replaced it with saline have settled their lawsuits against the Ivy League school.
Patients and their lawyers announced the settlements Monday in New Haven, Connecticut, where Yale is based. Details of the agreements were not released, but lawyers said they included significant financial settlements.
“What should have been a hopeful and joyous time ... turned into a traumatic experience," said Soryorelis Henry, one of the plaintiffs. "No one should ever have to endure what we went through. My hope is that this case leads to systemic changes and ensures no other patient experiences such suffering.”
The women say they underwent painful and invasive procedures for in vitro fertilization and were supposed to receive fentanyl at the Yale University Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinic in Orange, Connecticut, and its prior location in New Haven.
Unbeknownst to them, they received saline instead of fentanyl, and when they told staff of their extreme pain during and after the procedures, their concerns were dismissed, according to lawsuits filed by the women and their spouses. They said Yale officials failed to safeguard supplies of the painkiller.
Yale said in a statement that the agreement “allows both parties to move forward and begin healing,” adding that it has instituted new safeguards since discovering the nurse’s actions, including more training and supervision.
Seven women initially sued Yale in 2021. Dozens more patients later came forward and filed lawsuits, bringing the total number of plaintiffs to more than 150, including nearly 100 patients. Many of them say they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder because of what happened to them.
Shannon Garfield said she had her first IVF treatment at Yale's clinic in 2019. She went on to have several more procedures that led to the birth of her son, who is now 1.
“I was completely awake and in so much pain, as I was crying and yelling,” she said at the news conference. “It’s horrible to think of how many countless victims there are, and this further exemplifies a system where women’s voices don’t seem to matter.”
In May 2021, nurse Donna Monticone, who no longer works for the clinic, was sentenced to four weekends in prison, three months of home confinement and three years of supervised release. She pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product.
Prosecutors said 75% of the fentanyl given to patients at the clinic from June to October 2020 was adulterated by saline. They said Monticone replaced the fentanyl with saline to feed her addiction to the opioid. She apologized to the affected patients during her sentencing hearing.
Joshua Koskoff, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said Monticone’s misconduct with fentanyl went on for multiple years.
“Yale University providers ignored the anguished cries of women undergoing these treatments,” he said. “And for over two years, nobody asked a very simple question. Why? Why were so many women who didn’t know each other … experiencing this excruciating pain akin to torture, for a procedure that Yale University itself promoted as being of minimal or no discomfort?”
The lawsuits accused Yale officials of failing to follow mandated pharmacy protocols and allowing vials of fentanyl to be vulnerable to tampering. The suits also alleged Yale violated state and federal laws by keeping more than 175 vials of fentanyl in an unsupervised and unlocked area, and failed to implement safeguards including drug testing staff with access to opioids.
The lawsuits included civil allegations of medical assault and battery and medical malpractice. They said hundreds of patients potentially were unknowingly treated with saline instead of fentanyl at the clinic.
Attorney Kelly Fitzpatrick, right, hugs plaintiff Soryorelis Henry, foreground right, after a news conference in New Haven, CT, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, where dozens of women who say they suffered excruciating pain at a Yale University fertility clinic because a nurse stole fentanyl for her own use and replaced it with saline, have settled their lawsuits against the Ivy League school. (AP Photo/Dave Collins)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley had at least a first down, maybe even a touchdown, in his grasp that would have sealed the Eagles' win in their home opener.
Barkley instead bobbled a reception and couldn't hold on to Jalen Hurts' short pass. It was one giant drop on third down at Atlanta's 10-yard line with 1:46 left in the game that stopped the clock late and forced the Eagles to settle for a field goal.
Barkley's botch was the opening the Atlanta Falcons needed to pull off the stunner with the kind of flawless drive the Eagles couldn't duplicate. Kirk Cousins capped the winning drive with a touchdown pass to Drake London and Atlanta stunned Philadelphia 22-21 in its home opener on Monday night.
“I dropped the ball,” Barkley said plainly. “Let my team down today. Shouldn’t have put the defense in that position. If I make the catch, game’s over."
Barkley and Hurts, who had put the Eagles ahead 18-15 on a 1-yard tush-push touchdown in the fourth, had a brief postgame conversation in the locker room.
The message was simple: Hurts still had Barkley's back.
“He's going to trust me every time in that situation,” Barkley said.
After Barkley's drop, Jake Elliott kicked a 28-yard field goal rather than the Eagles going for the score on fourth down.
“We wanted to go up six points. It didn't work,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “I wanted them to be down and touchdown and see if they could drive the field. And they did.”
With a three-year deal for $26 million guaranteed, Barkley is the highest-paid running back in franchise history. The 27-year-old former New York Giant did have a knack for dropping the ball when he played for the NFC East rival.
“I trust him every day of the week to make a play,” Hurts said. “Just like everybody else. We'll be better for it.”
Maybe next time, the Eagles will simply trust Barkley enough to just rush for the first down.
Even after London torched cornerback Darius Slay and scored, the Eagles still had 34 seconds to at least drive into field goal territory for Elliott. Hurts instead had his pass picked off by Jessie Bates III that ended all hope of Philadelphia's own amazing comeback.
“The intent of that play was to go down the field,” Sirianni said. “He took a chance and the guy made a good play.”
Much like Barkley, Slay took the heat for the loss after he let London beat him for the winning TD.
“That’s on me Philly!! I owe yall one. DAMN!!!!!” Slay wrote on social media.
A year after a 10-1 start, the Eagles are already 1-1 with games against undefeated teams New Orleans and Tampa Bay on deck.
Barkley ran for 95 yards in his home debut at week after a week after he rushed for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns against Green Bay. Eagles fans booed when the opening drive of the game ended without Barkley touching the ball. Led by Hollywood star Bradley Cooper, Eagles fans went wild when he had consecutive 9-yard runs to open the second drive.
Barkley's steady success wouldn't stick.
The defense couldn't smother the long play against Cousins and the defense for all 60 minutes.
Under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Eagles established an early knack for allowing long drives that end with three points instead of seven. Atlanta's Younghoe Koo kicked field goals of 39, 22 and 34 yards, the last one enough for a 9-7 lead in the third quarter. In their opener, the Eagles held the Packers to just three field goals when they drove inside the 20.
Cousins, signed to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason, came alive in the second half. Cousins connected with Darnell Mooney on a 41-yard TD pass that gave Atlanta a 15-10 lead. Cousins later hit Mooney for 21 and 26 yards on consecutive plays during the decisive drive.
“We can be beat, especially if we don't take advantage of our opportunities,” Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said.
With No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown out with a hamstring injury, DeVonta Smith led the Eagles with seven catches for 76 yards and a score. Sirianni said he wasn't sure how long Brown would be out.
“Of course, he's definitely missed,” Hurts said. “It doesn't change the trust I have in everybody else to step up. We just didn't meet the moment. It wasn't for us tonight."
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Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons (31) stops Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce sits on the NFL ESPN Monday Night Football before an NFL football game between the Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator react to a two-point conversion by Eagles running back Saquon Barkley during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) falls with the ball near Atlanta Falcons cornerback Clark Phillips III, bottom, and Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Smith-Williams during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) catches a pass in front of Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball under pressure from Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24) and Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III during the second half of an NFL football game on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
