Hot off the presses: Epstein era at Johns Hopkins ends. Famed uropathologist moving on
Says he can no longer work with his accusers
By Howard Wolinsky
The Washington Post confirmed Saturday that famed uropathologist Jonathan Epstein, MD, is moving on from his long-time home at Johns Hopkins University following a controversy over bullying allegations.
Epstein told the Post he could no longer work with colleagues who accused him wrongly of misconduct. Some colleagues claimed Epstein had bullied them and leaned on them to support opinions rendered by Epstein’s wife Hillary, a pathologist at another institution.
Epstein had been on administrative leave since May as first reported by TheActiveSurveillor.com:
Epstein, who had been on paid leave since May, told The Post in an email this month that Hopkins had “found no evidence of any professional misconduct (ie. no evidence of bullying).” Hopkins spokeswoman Liz Vandendriessche told the newspaper in an email, however, said that The Post had been “misinformed” by Epstein and that his assertion that there was no evidence of misconduct was not true.
The resignation came before the hospital determined whether the allegations that he bullied or intimidated others in his department were founded, Vandendriessche said. She did not say whether that inquiry would continue given Epstein’s departure.
I wasn’t surprised. Epstein contacted me on Feb. 15, and offered an exclusive “thorough” interview about his future. At the last minute, he got cold feet.
The Active Surveillor previously reported that Epstein was leaving Hopkins and checking out positions elsewhere.
Epstein over the past 40 years had built an international reputation and changed the use of the Gleason score that we all know so well. He became the go-to pathologist for second opinions. I had my second opinion from him in 2010. His team reviewed pathology reports on 12,000 patients a year. The Hopkins group continues to do second opinions,
The Post said: “Hospital officials do appear to have cleared Epstein of some issues related to his clinical care of patients, according to a statement Epstein said he and the Baltimore hospital agreed to in a legal document.
“‘Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted a review of Dr. Epstein’s clinical care and did not identify any areas of concern,’ the statement said, according to Epstein. He declined to elaborate on the agreement, but he said the institution had committed to giving the statement to any prospective employers who call Hopkins to ask about him.”
Developing.
Really the last call: Don’t miss ASPI’s webinar on how AI will decrease overdiagnosis and overtreatment of prostate cancer. We start at noon today Eastern.
By Howard Wolinsky
AI, short for artificial intelligence, is in the headlines increasingly. Medical care is expected to receive the biggest benefits in the field, including prostate cancer.
Join Active Surveillance Patients International (ASPI) on Saturday, Feb. 24 at noon-1:30 p.m. Eastern to hear a panel talk about AI and how it will be affecting our lives as prostate cancer patients in a program entitled “How AI will decrease overdiagnosis and overtreatment of prostate cancer.”
I organized the program and will be moderating as best I can. (I just had a medical procedure on my vocal cords, which had atrophied. Too mant support meetings, webinars, and interviews, I’m afraid. So be patient if I’m croaking,)
More than 300 have registered. But we still have room.
Weeks away. Sign up for ZERO support group on AS in March
By Howard Wolinsky
For the past three years, I have run a special Active Surveillance support group for ZERO. Last year, our virtual support meeting drew 60 patients to talk about AS. By far, it was the biggest session of any at the annual ZERO Summit.
We’re on at 11 a.m. Eastern on March 12, 2024.
Register for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsfuqgrjIoG9AWf7voMhzT_UjdqbQQbQPA
For those not brave enough to pen comment, thank you, Howard, not only for what you continue to mean to each of us on our personal journey, but doing so short of surgery on your voice when no use wiser decision..
"Shooting from the hip" having just witnessed AI webinar moments ago, "required viewing" for 4 billions males on earth-includes you too, Sec. Austin-coupled with saga of Epstein, M.D. to be continued here within, my reaction with apology to anyone offended, is, Nina Simone, timely recording in 1964, "Mississippi Goddam." "Goddam!"