EAST ST. LOUIS - An inmate claims he and others were harmed when a physician was required to substituted Tylenol for the opioid Tramadol.
Taurus Blossom filed a federal class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Wexford Health Sources, Inc. and Dr. Vipin Shah.
According to the lawsuit, Blossom was under the health care providers' care while being a prisoner at the Illinois Department of Corrections. Shah was employed by Wexford Health, which provided the medical services for the prison.
Blossom claims Shah wrote at least two prescriptions for Tramadol on May 18, 2019 and on Sept. 18, 2019. The first prescription was for one month and the second was for five months. On Feb. 28, 2020, Wexford prohibited its physicians from prescribing Tramadol. Shah substituted Tylenol for Tramadol in a prescription he wrote on Feb. 28, 2020. Blossom continued to receive Tylenol instead of Tramadol through the remainder of his incarceration at the Robinson Correctional Center. Blossom claims Shah followed orders when substituting Tylenol for Tramadol rather than making a medical judgment. Blossom claims the substitution caused him and others harm.
Blossom seeks class certification, plus an award for damages, court costs and attorney’s fees. Blossom is represented by Joel A. Flaxman of Chicago.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:22-cv-00361-NJR