Former doctor has first hearing By James Carlson The Capital-Journal Published Wednesday, January 14, 2009
A former Topeka physician had his first hearing Tuesday in a Kansas City, Kan., federal courtroom on 13 counts connected with selling medical equipment and drug treatments for a nonexistent Lyme disease epidemic.
John R. Toth, who is serving time for the death of a patient, is facing federal charges of conspiring to sell a microscope that allegedly would diagnose Lyme disease and drugs that would treat it.
No date was set for future court dates, said Jim Cross, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Robert W. Bradford, 77, and Brigitte G. Byrd, 63, both of Chula Vista, Calif., also are charged in the 25-count indictment of violating the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
In March, Toth, 59, was sentenced to 32 months in state prison after pleading no contest in November 2007 to a reduced charge of reckless involuntary manslaughter in the April 20, 2006, death of a patient, Beverly A. Wunder, 47, of Topeka.
Toth, who surrendered his medical license in January 2008, originally faced a charge of reckless second-degree murder after he treated Wunder for Lyme disease with a substance not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The current federal case will be heard before Chief Judge Kathryn H. Vratil.
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