Dallas doctor speaks out about treating Thomas Eric Duncan


Joseph Howard Meier, the emergency room physician who misdiagnosed Thomas Eric Duncan, the first Ebola case in the U.S., has spoken out for the first time about his treatment of the patient.
Meier told The Dallas Morning News that he didn't know Duncan had a 103-degree fever, and a high fever is a symptom of Ebola. He treated Duncan for a headache and abdominal pain and diagnosed him with sinusitis. Two days later, Duncan returned to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital and was diagnosed with Ebola.
When the paper asked Meier if his evaluation of Duncan would have been different had he known Duncan had traveled from Liberia, Meier said he would have contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and assessed Duncan for Ebola.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"But the likelihood would have still been low, since Mr. Duncan denied any sick contacts," Meier added, saying his treatment of Duncan was appropriate based on the facts provided to him at the time.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
Measles cases surge to 33-year high
Speed Read The infection was declared eliminated from the US in 2000 but has seen a resurgence amid vaccine hesitancy
-
Kennedy's vaccine panel signals skepticism, change
Speed Read RFK Jr.'s new vaccine advisory board intends to make changes to the decades-old US immunization system
-
Kennedy ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory panel
speed read Health Secretary RFK Jr. is a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has criticized the panel of experts
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kids
Speed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
-
New FDA chiefs limit Covid-19 shots to elderly, sick
speed read The FDA set stricter approval standards for booster shots
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths