INSTITUTE FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND THE CHRIST HOSPITAL
Institute for Reproductive Health and The Christ Hospital; Lawsuit Filed By Ohio Family That Learned of Fertility Clinic Abuses From Christmas Gift Home-DNA Kits
MAJOR NEW FERTILITY CENTER LAWSUIT AGAINST CINCINNATI’S INSTITUTE FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND THE CHRIST HOSPITAL UNDERSCORES “WILD WEST” NATURE OF UNREGULATED INDUSTRY WITH U.S. LAGGING FAR BEHIND MOST OTHER NATIONS
Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane: In a new lawsuit filed on August 7, 2019, Cincinnati’s Institute for Reproductive Health, the associated The Christ Hospital, and Ovation Fertility are accused of misconduct in the birth of a Columbus, Ohio, area woman who learned from a home DNA kit purchased as a Christmas gift that the man she thought was her biological father is not, and instead, may have been a doctor at The Christ Hospital.
The complaint filed by Peiffer Wolf Carr and Kane, APLC (Peiffer Wolf), on behalf of the Cartellone family of Ohio, is the latest in a surge of fertility center-related scandals in the U.S. Peiffer Wolf is currently working with hundreds of fertility center clients, including the Los Angeles couple who had their fertilized embryo implanted in a stranger in New York and then had to go to court after the child was born. Peiffer Wolf also is a major presence in litigation surrounding the large-scale embryo losses during the spring of 2018 at Pacific Fertility Center in San Francisco and University Hospitals Fertility Center in Cleveland.
Improperly fertilized embryos. The Cartellone family of Delaware, OH, is bringing a lawsuit against The Christ Hospital, Greater Cincinnati Institute for Reproductive Health, and Ovation Fertility Cincinnati. After recently purchasing Ancestry.com DNA kits for her family, 24-year-old Rebecca Cartellone learned that her father, Joseph, is not her biological father. Through independent research, the Cartellones believe that Rebecca’s biological father is likely one of a small handful of men— including a doctor at The Christ Hospital. In October 1993, the Cartellones sought IVF services at The Christ Hospital and the Greater Cincinnati Institute for Reproductive Health to use mother Jennifer’s egg and Joseph’s sperm to create embryos for transfer to Jennifer. In February 1994, Jennifer became pregnant with Rebecca. Additional paternity testing has confirmed that the sperm of a stranger, not Joseph’s sperm, was used to create the embryo that was transferred to Rebecca.
Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane is nationally recognized for representing victims of fertility clinic misconduct, including destruction or loss of eggs and embryos. If you or your family have been the victim of a reckless or negligent fertility clinic or fertility medical center, please Contact the Fertility Lawyers at Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane for a FREE Consultation by filling out our simple online Contact Form or by calling 415-766-3545.
Joseph Peiffer, attorney and managing partner, Peiffer Wolf, said: “The case we are filing today illustrates the lack of regulation governing fertility clinics in the United States. It was only after purchasing Ancestry.com DNA kits for her family, that daughter Rebecca learned Joseph is not her biological father. This tragedy should never have happened. We will get justice for the Cartellones. But, only through further litigation and sensible regulation can such nonsense be stopped. We need accountability for big fertility.
Joseph Cartellone, of Delaware, OH, said: “Never in my worst nightmare did I think that the Christmas gift of DNA testing for my family would unveil this kind of abuse of our trust by the very professionals from whom we sought help. This has been extremely difficult for my family. I want to do whatever it takes to make sure no one else has to go through what we did.
Adam Wolf, attorney and partner, Peiffer Wolf, said: “My law firm has represented hundreds of families and individuals who have had their hopes and dreams dashed by outrageous conduct of the U.S. fertility industry. We think of fertility clinics as highly professional organizations governed by strict rules and staffed by caring experts. But, the truth is some of them are simply business people making billions of dollars in profits. We need to look to the U.K. and come up with a way of policing this industry here in the U.S., since it clearly is not capable of keeping its own house in order.
Also speaking at today’s news conference, Dr. Amel Alghrani, reader in law and former associate dean (Education) in the School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, and author of “Regulating Assisted Reproductive Technologies: New Horizons,” said: “The UK’s IVF practices are amongst the safest in the world because of its comprehensive regulatory framework in this area. The clear statutory framework, together with statutory body oversight, ensures fertility clinics and research centres comply with the law and agreed standards, in order to provide high quality care and research. Safe and effective regulation is imperative in order to protect the procreative rights of all those who utilise assisted reproductive services.
AVAILABLE RESOURCES:
Full details of Cartellone Lawsuit.
Peiffer Wolf National Press Club Event
Yes. Please call us or use our contact form to request a Free Case Evaluation. We have a national team of attorneys and staff who look forward to speaking with you.
Typically, we represent clients on contingency fee agreements. If we take your case under a contingency fee arrangement, you won’t owe our firm any legal fees unless we are able to recover money for you.
Our contingency fee agreements are usually based on a percentage of the amount we recover for our clients. The contingency fee amount is determined by the type of case, our estimate of how long it will take to resolve your case, and our estimate of the litigation costs we will advance in your case. Each engagement agreement includes the details of the fee arrangement. Questions about our fee agreements are welcomed and encouraged.
In most litigation matters, it is extremely difficult – practically impossible – to predict how long it will take to resolve a particular case. Every case is different, and we will do our best to provide you with an estimate based on your case and our experience with similar cases. Moreover, we will do our best to keep you updated and manage expectations along the way.
We handle cases that change lives. Contact us today for a FREE consultation.
