Two New York hospitals announced on Friday (October 7) that they would jointly pay more than $165 million to 147 former patients of a gynecologist they have accused of inappropriate acts and sexual assaults. This doctor, Robert Hadden, was deprived of his right to practice in 2016, in the wake of revelations concerning him. He must be tried in federal court for these alleged acts, spanning more than two decades, committed to the detriment of dozens of women.
The two hospitals where he practiced, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, created a special fund last year to compensate women who accused the gynecologist. “We deeply regret the pain suffered by the patients of Robert Hadden and we hope that this agreement will offer a dose of comfort to the women whom he has harmed”said in a press release the Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
“I knew it was an attack”
Among Dr. Hadden’s former patients is the wife of a former Democratic candidate for the White House, Andrew Yang. Evelyn Yang said in 2020 that she was sexually assaulted during her first pregnancy in 2012. Evelyn Yang said that she noticed during consultations that her doctor was asking inappropriate sexual questions but said to herself: “Okay, my doctor is a perv, but I’m going to focus on my baby’s health.”
But, one day, when she was 7 months pregnant, Robert Hadden had, according to her, pretended to have a complementary examination at the end of an appointment for the“draw towards him”. “He undressed me and examined me internally, without gloves”she told CNN. “I knew it was wrong. I knew it was an assault.”
Years later, she testified to the New York District Attorney’s Office, which indicted Dr. Hadden. On this occasion, she had been heard by a grand jury.