The milk of the poppy has caused some problems for a new mom in Pennsylvania! All thanks to a few loaves of organic bread from a farmer’s market.

Nurses Single-Out Mother In Labor As Potential Drug Addict

IT programmer Rachel Devore recently had a baby. Like most expectant parents, Devore hoped for a beautiful, drama-free birth. Instead, hospital employees, for all intent and purpose, labeled her a drug addict.

Why did the hospital think Devore may have been indulging in illicit drugs? Apparently, at the hospital where she gave birth, all women must provide urine for a drug test conducted during delivery. Presumably, it’s to screen for unfit parents. In any event, Devore’s test allegedly came back positive for opiates, but she adamantly denied – and continues to deny — any wrongdoing.

Foiled By Poppy Seed Bread

After returning home from the hospital, Devore realized that the bread she had been munching on for several weeks was laden with poppy seeds.

Now, those of you thinking, “Yeah right. She’d have to eat a store’s worth of poppy bread to trigger a false positive,” may want to slow your role, because Devore’s test didn’t come back as a “slam dunk positive,” but instead an “unconfirmed positive.” Moreover, technicians tested the newly born baby for evidence of drug use, and the results came back 100% negative.

“It’s Defamatory To Tell Social Services I Was A Potential Drug Addict!”

Devore and her husband contend that the hospital staff violated doctor-patient confidentiality by handing the results of her drug test over to child protective services, then further defamed them by heavily implying that Devore flunked the drug test and needed to be watched. Moreover, the lawsuit points out that the drug test disclaimer instructed that results “are to be used only for medical purposes. Unconfirmed screening results must not be used for non-medical purposes (e.g. employment testing, legal testing).”

Not only was Devore’s child’s birth marred by the accusations, but the couple was also saddled with a social worker for months after the baby’s birth. And the rotten cherry on top is that a Devore file now exists with Child Welfare Services.

Contact A Medical Defamation Lawyer

Our legal practice has successful handled many medical defamation cases. Traditionally, we assist doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals with slander and libel claims – but we also handle doctor defamation defense in certain circumstances.

If you are interested in exploring legal options for a medical defamation situation, get in touch with Kelly / Warner Law today.