A hospital in Virginia was held in contempt of court on Monday after ignoring a judge’s court order to administer ivermectin to a woman battling COVID.
Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge James Fisher found Fauquier Hospital in Warrenton in contempt of court for "needlessly interposing requirements that stand in the way of the patient's desired physician administering investigational drugs as part of the Health Care Decisions Act and the federal and state Right to Try Acts."
Judge Fisher held the Fauquier hospital in contempt of court, ordered the administration of ivermectin, and imposed daily $10,000 fines retroactive to Dec. 9.
Back in early October, sixty-three-year-old Kathleen Davies was hospitalized with COVID. She’s been on a ventilator since November 3rd. \
Her husband had requested that the hospital administer Ivermectin in a last resort effort to save her life.
Davies' son, Christopher, a radiologic technologist at the same hospital tells The Fauquier Times that he doesn't know whether or not Ivermectin will help his mother, but he wants the opportunity to try the drug as a last ditch effort to save her.
The hospital refused so they sued and on December 6th the court ruled that Kathleen Davies had the right under Virginia law to try Ivermectin because it was prescribed by her personal physician.
"But when Chris and a nurse went to give his mom the Ivermectin on the night of Dec. 7, the hospital refused to allow him in the ICU with the drug.
The hospital told Chris they had filed for another emergency hearing on the matter which was scheduled for Dec. 8, according to The Daily Wire.
On Dec. 9, Judge Fisher considered the hospital's arguments, but ruled in favor of the Davies family, writing, "The specific provisions of the Health Care Decisions Act of Virginia control the rights of the parties and sets out a statutorily specific authority of the court to rule…. An agent operating under an Advance Medical Directive, as is the case here, is authorized with 'full power to make health care decisions for {the patient}. The agent may consent to … medication," and may "hire and fire {the patient's} health care providers… That is what happened here," according to the Times.
Even though the judge signed an order that Davies' doctor had the right to administer Ivermectin under Virginia law, the hospital had still not complied by the time of the contempt hearing which was scheduled for Monday, Dec. 13.
The contempt order by Judge Fisher says:
“No good reason or good cause was given, other than convenience, for the need of a formal “attending physician” when there are at least three physicians involved in the patient’s care. The relief herein can be accomplished without requiring anyone serving in the role of “attending physician.”
On Tuesday, the hospital allowed Davies' physician to administer ivermectin. Now the hospital is asking the court to lift the contempt charge.