Fake Diagnosis Scam: Detroit doctor faces class action lawsuit alleging intentional misdiagnosis of children

An investigative report will air tonight at 11:35 p.m. on ABC Nightline exploring the allegations against Dr. Yasser Awaad, a pediatric neurologist who practiced in Detroit, Mich., and is accused of intentionally misdiagnosing hundreds of children.

A board certified specialist who has taught at the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and in Cairo, Egypt, Awaad was the Director of Pediatric Neurology at Michigan's Oakwood Hospital. He now faces a class action lawsuit brought by dozens of families alleging he wrongfully diagnosed their children with epilepsy, prescribing them with anti-seizure drugs and ordering unnecessary treatments in order to receive more money from the families and their insurance companies. In addition to reimbursement for their medical bills, the families seek damages for emotional and physical distress of their children, who they claim suffered debilitating side effects as a result of the medications they were prescribed.

Motley Rice medical lawyer Carmen Scott, who represents more than 200 clients against Awaad with co-counsel Nancy Savageau and Brian Benner of Benner & Foran, said that as many as 2,000 children may have been treated by Awaad between 2001 and 2007.

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