AIDS Patient, Target of Phony Physician’s Call, Dies

An AIDS patient who survived a near-fatal dose of insulin ordered by a man who called Santa Monica’s St. John’s Hospital posing as his doctor, died Wednesday of the disease, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The patient, identified by the coroner’s office as Edward Lebowitz, 48, of Los Angeles died at 1:55 p.m. “due to complications related directly to his illness,” the spokeswoman said.

A man claiming to be Lebowitz’s physician called the hospital late Saturday and ordered that the patient be given insulin, Santa Monica police said. Lebowitz began slipping into a coma early Sunday after being given the drug and was in critical condition before doctors were able to revive him.

Police, who are investigating the call as a case of attempted murder, said they have been unable to determine a motive. Although the hospital said Lebowitz’s death was related directly to acquired immune deficiency syndrome, police said the cause of death is undetermined pending the results of an autopsy.

“Apparently, the patient was under some new, experimental treatment, and the so-called doctor told the nurse it was important to keep his blood sugar down, so he was administering insulin,” Detective Shane Talbot said.

The caller, who police said was well versed in medical procedure, also told the nurse that there was some new evidence that if an AIDS patient’s blood-sugar level is reduced, the treatment would work better, Talbot said. Lebowitz’s real doctor, who was not identified, denied making the call.

After the incident, hospital officials said St. John’s personnel followed procedures consistent with state law but that new procedures, which “cannot be compromised,” will be implemented.

Lebowitz was admitted to the hospital Sept. 18 suffering from a digestive ailment related to acquired immune deficiency syndrome, Talbot said.