The city has marched in and closed the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada late Friday afternoon. That's where thousands of people may have been exposed to hepatitis and HIV because of unsafe practices.
Read Suspension Order Here
Officials from the city business license department went to the clinic at 3 p.m. Friday and revoked its business license.
Lawsuits Filed Against Closed Medical Center
Mayor Oscar Goodman says there were six patients inside the clinic at the time. All were allowed to recover before the business was shut down.
The mayor says the decision was made after the city's business license director spoke with local and federal health officials.
Health District Sets Up Hotline in Hepatitis C Scare
"Investigators were told by many of your RN's that they knew these techniques fell below accepted medical practice and were dangerous to patients. However, they were ordered by administrators to engage in the practice in order to save money. An investigator told our licensing officials it's very hard to believe they won't do it again," said Goodman.
Add your comments to the LasVegasNOW Blog
The mayor says business licensing officials formally took possession of the clinic's license at about 4:20 p.m. Friday afternoon. The mayor also recounted a discussion city investigators had with the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.
Read the letter sent to patients
"I have been told that an officer of the CDC publicly stated that what you did was so obviously dangerous -- that any RN or MD would know that it was the equivalent of quote, "Driving the wrong way down the freeway." End quote," said Goodman.
Four doctors are named as owners of the business. They are Dipak Desai, Eladio Carrera, Vishvinder Sharma and Clifford Carrol.
The doctors are invited to come to City Hall on Monday afternoon if they choose to appeal the decision. The city says it will issue a final decision within one hour of any meeting, should the doctors choose to attend.
Email your comments to Reporter Mark Sayre
A Las Vegas clinic may have exposed thousands of patients to hepatitis C.
