AIDS Doctor Claims Clinic Dumped Him

A doctor who worked for a Santa Monica women’s medical clinic that served as a model for the television series “Heartbeat” sued his former partners Wednesday, contending they forced him out because he has AIDS.

Dr. James Gordon, a specialist in infertility and reproductive endocrinology, filed suit in Superior Court against the Women’s Medical Group and its founder and senior partner, Dr. Karen Blanchard, a technical adviser to the TV show.

“Heartbeat,” a spring replacement series for ABC’s “Dynasty,” debuted March 23 and ran for six episodes. The series was modeled after Blanchard’s clinic, staffed by a group of mostly women doctors in a gynecological practice.

Gordon, 39, who identifies himself as a homosexual, alleged in the suit that he told Blanchard he had tested positive for infection with the AIDS virus in November, 1986.

He said he was allowed to continue practicing at the clinic until Jan. 21, when he began showing symptoms of the deadly disease and came down with pneumonia.

Gordon contended that Blanchard and another partner, Dr. Marki Knox--who together own 75% of the clinic--refused to let him return after he recovered from the pneumonia.

Gordon said in his suit that Blanchard told him “the best thing for the practice would be for you to stay as far away from it as possible.”

“I’m very sorry for the health problems Dr. Gordon is having,” Blanchard said in response to the suit. “But our first responsibility is to our patients and their unborn children.”

She declined to say whether she believed AIDS could be spread through medical examinations, referring the question to her lawyer.

A Santa Monica Superior Court judge in April ruled that a nail salon had a right to refuse a pedicure to an AIDS sufferer because of the risk, however small, of transmitting the disease. That ruling is being appealed.

Gordon’s suit, which alleges AIDS discrimination, unfair business practice and sex discrimination, seeks $5 million in punitive damages, other unspecified damages, lost wages and insurance benefits and an injunction barring future discrimination at the clinic.

The suit said Gordon offered to stop “hands-on” patient contact and limit his activities to research and consultation. Blanchard said Gordon never made such an offer.