Medical Organizations Weigh In
Dr. Pou's plight: Heroic actions, harrowing aftermath
August 20 , 2007 - American Medical NewsIn the end, justice prevailed for New Orleans otorhinolaryngologist Anna Maria Pou, MD. A grand jury acted correctly, with admirable courage and wisdom, when in July it decided against indicting the physician on charges that she killed nine patients with lethal doses of pain medication in the Hurricane Katrina aftermath.
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Hopefully the national headline-making news of the murder charges levied against Dr. Pou won't dissuade doctors from volunteering in future emergency situations. (Read More ...)
Medical Groups Praise Grand Jury Outcome
July 26, 2007AAO-HNS Statement on Grand Jury Decision to Not Indict Anna Pou, MD
The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) applauds the Orleans Parish grand jury's decision to refuse indictment of Anna Pou, MD, who heroically stayed and administered care to patients at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans in the days following Hurricane Katrina.
Dr. Pou stands as an example for AAO-HNS members and the medical community at large for her willingness to administer crisis care in the face of great duress and pressure.
By choosing to not indict, the grand jury has acknowledged the need to continue the tradition of medical care during crises, a tradition that places action to help others above self-preservation. The AAO-HNS believes that Dr. Pou and the medical professionals that stood beside her in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are a credit to the medical field and society as a whole.
Orleans Parish Medical Society is pleased with the Grand Jury decision regarding Dr. Anna Pou
July 26, 2007Orleans Parish Medical Society is delighted to learn that the Orleans Parish Grand Jury has declined to indict Dr. Anna Pou on charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This decision will help to restore confidence in our justice system among healthcare workers in our community.
Physicians, nurses and many other healthcare professionals were stung by the State Attorney General's Office attempts to cast a criminal veil of legitimate pain-management medicine provided under extreme circumstances of human suffering. Had these attempts succeeded, it would have made it impossible in the future to find healthcare providers willing to volunteer and assist in any emergency disasters for fear of similar treatment by law authorities befalling them.
Today's announcement may not go far enough to repair the personal and public damage done to the reputation and career of Dr. Anna Pou by an ill-advised, publicity-hungry State Attorney General's Office, but is a place for the necessary repairs to start. OPMS also hopes that it helps alleviate the personal and emotional duress experienced by those who lost relatives and loved ones at Memorial Medical Center in the aftermath of Katrina, knowing
that Dr. Pou acted in a professional manner to provide their relatives urgent medical attention and comfort.
Statement from Louisiana State Medical Society to Dr. Pou
July 26, 2007Congratulations on the decision of the Orleans Parish Grand Jury. The LSMS could not be more pleased with this outcome. We would still like to help you in any way that we can with your lawsuit against the AG and in any other manner you feel is appropriate. We also want to thank you for all you did to help during the Katrina ordeal. If we can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. My direct line is 225-763-2313. Here is the statement we have published in response to the decision of the Grand Jury:
The Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS) is extremely pleased and relieved to hear the Orleans Parish Grand Jury has refused to indict Dr. Anna Pou on the charges brought forth by State Attorney General Charles Foti involving patients at Memorial Medical Center in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. From the beginning, the LSMS has maintained that Dr. Pou is entitled to the
presumption of innocence, and expected that she would be treated justly and fairly by the judicial system.The LSMS strongly believes that Dr. Pou courageously performed her duties as a physician under the most challenging and horrific conditions. The decisions she made were in the best interests of the patients under her care. We hope the Grand Jury's decision will remove the "chilling effect" these charges have had, and encourage physicians and other health care providers to continue to volunteer during disaster and emergency situations.
With this decision, the LSMS anticipates Dr. Pou will return to her distinguished career as a talented surgeon and dedicated educator. As Dr. Pou rebuilds her life and her practice, we know she will once again bring hope and healing into the lives of her patients.
American College of Surgeons Takes a
Stand for Justice
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the American College of Surgeons remains concerned about the arrest more than five months ago of Anna Maria Pou, MD, FACS, and two nurses from Memorial Hospital in New Orleans. These individuals volunteered to remain at the hospital in order to provide care for patients, many of whom were terminally ill. Some of the patients were on ventilators, and there was no evacuation plan in place. Their acts were those of heroism. Medical and health care professionals should continue to be free to render appropriate medical care without fear of criminal charges regarding their emergency medical judgment being rendered by politicians and newspersons.
Full Article on Netscape.com
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association has released a formal statement on the allegations against Dr. Pou and her nurse colleagues, urging against a rush to judgment and praising the "health care professionals who sacrificed and distinguished themselves in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina."
Full Statement (PDF)
Louisiana State Medical Society
"The Louisiana State Medical Society is confident that Dr. Pou performed courageously under the most challenging and horrific conditions and made decisions in the best interest of her patients," President Dr. Floyd A. Buras said in a statement.
Full Statement (PDF)
