THE HYPOCRITIC OATH

DO NO HARM TO THE BOTTOM LINE
Johann Wagerner 11-4-13

Johns Hopkins Halts, Reviews Black Lung Program

Johns Hopkins Medicine said in its statement that Wheeler "has consistently retrained, retested and recertified" as a black lung X-ray reader with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

The medical school and hospital system at Johns Hopkins University said in a statement, "We take very seriously the questions raised" in the reports.

CPI and ABC focused on Dr. Paul Wheeler, who heads a unit at John Hopkins Medicine that reads X-rays of coal miners seeking compensation benefits for black lung disease. Wheeler has become a favorite X-ray reader for industry lawyers, according to the reports, because he "found not a single case of severe black lung in the more than 1,500 cases decided since 2000 in which he offered an opinion."

The investigations also found that other experienced X-ray readers disagreed with some of Wheeler's analyses. In some cases, miners who could not obtain benefits due to Wheeler's conclusions and later died were positively diagnosed by other medical personnel based on autopsy results.