Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) partnered with Representatives James P. McGovern (MA-02) and Debbie Dingell (MI-06) to introduce the Protect Patients from Healthcare Abuse Act, legislation that establishes clear, nationwide standards to protect patients during sensitive medical examinations and procedures. The bill follows outreach from survivors of physician sexual misconduct, including recent allegations involving Massachusetts doctor Derrick Todd.
“Patients should never have to fear abuse in the exam room,” said Congresswoman Trahan, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee. “The women who came forward to expose the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of their physician showed extraordinary courage and made it impossible to ignore how badly the system failed to protect them. This bill makes clear that abuse will not be excused, institutions will not be allowed to look the other way, and patients will finally have enforceable rights and real safeguards.”
“Our bill will close critical gaps in our healthcare systems that allowed physician abuse to occur,” said Congressman McGovern. “The Protect Patients from Healthcare Abuse Act strengthens the existing patchwork of state and hospital-specific chaperone policies by creating robust federal standards. Every person deserves to feel safe when they’re at the doctor’s office. I’m grateful to Rory McCarthy and all of the other survivors who have trusted us with their stories—their advocacy will help us ensure that no one suffers this kind of abuse again.”
“Patients deserve to feel safe when they see their doctor. Anything less is unacceptable,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “With this legislation, we hope to strengthen trust between patients and their providers, ensure patients better understand what’s appropriate during their medical examinations, and ultimately end this kind of abuse once and for all. We are putting forth this effort to honor the survivors who have bravely come forward to tell their stories, and know deeply what changes need to be made so that no more patients have to go through what happened to them.”
Earlier this month, new details emerged about the case of Dr. Derrick Todd, a Massachusetts-based rheumatologist. Despite multiple complaints over many years, Todd allegedly continued to perform unnecessary and invasive pelvic and breast exams on patients who came to him for unrelated conditions, often without proper informed consent or a chaperone present. More than 200 patients have now accused him of sexual misconduct, and lawsuits and state investigations indicate that institutional failures and poor oversight allowed the abuse to continue unchecked.
Despite existing reporting systems, recent cases like Todd and Oregon physician David Farley have exposed dangerous gaps in patient protections and highlighted the urgent need for clear national standards to prevent similar abuse in the future. Many patients are not clearly informed of their rights, and safeguards like chaperones are often inconsistently offered or not offered at all. The Protect Patients from Healthcare Abuse Act directly addresses these gaps by establishing federal requirements for informed consent and access to trained chaperones during sensitive procedures.
Specifically the bill will require all Medicare-participating providers to comply with the following standards:
Patient Rights Notification: Providers must give adult patients or their lawful surrogates written notice of their rights, including the right to be informed of their health status, to participate in planning their care, to provide informed consent before any service or procedure, and to request a trained chaperone during sensitive procedures.
Informed Consent Standards: The bill defines “informed consent” as the patient’s understanding of the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a service or procedure. Providers must ensure patients are fully informed before care is delivered.
Access to Trained Chaperones: Upon request, providers must make a trained chaperone available during any sensitive procedure.
Chaperone Training Requirements: Providers must train appropriate staff on how to protect patients’ rights leading up to and during sensitive procedures.
Clear Definition of “Sensitive Procedures”: A sensitive procedure includes any exam, surgery, or procedure involving the genitalia, breasts, perianal region, or rectum, as well as any procedure the patient considers sensitive.
A copy of the legislation introduced today can be accessed HERE.
The Protect Patients from Healthcare Abuse Act is supported by survivors of Dr. Derrick Todd, advocates, and independent organizations.
“This chaperone bill is long overdue and critical to protecting patients. Being a patient is one of the most vulnerable positions one can be in. We are told to believe the oath that each doctor takes to do no harm. This oath has been broken on a mass scale. I wish this piece of legislation had been put in place years ago. I believe it would have prevented me and many others from having to carry the burden and shame that comes with being labeled a victim and survivor. The likes of Larry Nasser and Derrick Todd will no longer be able to get away with sexually abusing patients. This bill closes a dangerous loophole that has been exploited by predators. America is a beacon of medical potential – this bill will allow that to continue by setting a new precedent for standards of care,” said Rory McCarthy, Advocate and Survivor.
“I am a survivor of Derrick Todd. The abuse I endured, along with over 250 other people, is something no person should ever have to go through. This bill is essential to ensuring the United States continues to provide some of the best healthcare in the world. If sexual abuse of this scale has been able to happen in various instances, with doctors such as Larry Nassar, Robert Hadden, and now Derrick Todd, legislators need to take action to prevent further abuse. This is common sense legislation, where people won’t have to choose between receiving high quality healthcare and their personal safety. There are systems in place to easily train chaperones, and some hospitals are already taking steps to implement policies. However, this is not enough with federal support. Please be a part of the solution in making sure this doesn’t happen again,” said Sophia Marsden, Advocate and Survivor.
“Having a chaperone present during sensitive medical examinations is a critical standard of care. Passing this bill will ensure protection and support for both patients and healthcare providers. As a nurse and a survivor of sexual abuse by a healthcare professional, I understand firsthand the importance of safety and trust in medical settings. I wholeheartedly believe this legislation can transform medical practice, creating an environment where patients feel secure and providers are safeguarded. This bill is about protecting people at their most vulnerable—and giving them the support they deserve,” said Bridget Skerry, Advocate and Survivor.
“If we don’t close this loophole, we’ll be choosing inaction in the face of known harm. The next victim shouldn’t depend on our hindsight,” said Karli Nee, Advocate and Survivor.
“This bill is a critical step toward protecting patients from medical abuse and rebuilding the trust that was stolen from so many of us. No one should ever feel abandoned, helpless, or silenced by the very people meant to care for them. As a survivor, I stand in full support of this bill so that what happened to me never happens to anyone else,” said Dylan Dusenberry, Advocate and Survivor.
“Requiring a medical chaperone for sensitive exams is a basic, common-sense protection—one that should have been there for me, and one that can prevent future harm. It also protects ethical providers and gives patients the peace of mind they deserve. No one should have to go through what I did. No one should have to choose between their health and their sense of safety. By passing this legislation, you can help create a system where that choice is no longer necessary. Please vote in favor of this bill—for the countless voices that were never heard, and for those who are still afraid to speak,” said Jane Doe, Advocate and survivor.
“The doctor’s office is a place for care and healing, not exploitation and abuse. This bill, if passed, would affirm this principle. The US hosts some of the best medical institutions in the entire world, and this legislation would raise the caliber of our standards. No patient should be exposed to the possibility of abuse while they’re already in pain and seeking help. As a survivor of sexual abuse and decades long victim advocate, I strongly support this legislation,” said Kate Burgess, Advocate.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected when seeking medical care. This bill moves us closer to making hospitals actually feel like places of healing, places free from abuse and fear. We are so grateful to the survivors who have courageously shared their stories and are leading this advocacy so that every patient can receive care with dignity and trust,” said Nithya Badrinath, Policy Director at Jane Doe Inc., the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence.
“Having heard accounts from hundreds of patients regarding sexual abuse under the guise of performing sensitive exams, it is clear that a chaperone policy would have made a difference in preventing the abuse from occurring in many instances. This is a monumental moment to learn from the inexcusable abuse of patients which has already occurred, and take immediate action to help protect patients in the future,” said William J. Thompson, Attorney at Lubin & Meyer.
“As a distinguished professor in the history of medicine at Purdue University, and the author of four books on the history of women’s reproductive health, most recently Exposed: The Hidden History of the Pelvic Exam, I fully support the Protect Patients from Health Care Abuse Act. Unfortunately, the United States has a long history of silencing and dismissing a patient’s perspective and experience when it comes to sensitive medical exams, particularly on women. Such procedures have the potential to blur the boundaries between what is a standard medical procedure and what is a sexually exploitative act. This leads to two problems – first, documented examples of abuse, and second, a reluctance on the part of many patients to seek medical treatment in the first place. This Act represents an essential step towards resolving these problems,” said Wendy Kline, Ph.D., Dema G. Seelye Chair in the History of Medicine at Purdue University.
“I am writing in strong support of the proposed Protect Patients from Healthcare Abuse Act. This legislation represents an essential upstream solution to the prevention of medical sexual abuse and its devastating lifelong consequences. The trauma that results from sexual abuse by a medical authority is profound and enduring. Post Traumatic Stress symptomology following such violations is neither minimal nor transient. It often shapes the victim’s ability to trust, seek care, or feel safe within the healthcare system for years to come. These experiences dismantle not only personal safety but also public confidence in medical institutions. By passing this bill, we take a critical step toward rebuilding trust in the healthcare system. It affirms that both women and men deserve safety, dignity, and protection during sensitive medical examinations. This is not only a matter of ethics but of public health, healing, and justice,” said Cheralyn Leeby, PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, University of North Florida Adjunct Professor.
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