Family wins $1.38m settlement Newton psychiatrist sued for malpractice in man's death

Boston Globe, Saturday, April 26, 1997

The parents of a 24-year-old Foxborough man who died from an overdose of prescription anti-depressant drug have won a $1.38 million malpractice settlement against a Newton psychiatrist.

During the trial, Harold Bursztajn, a psychiatrist and Harvard Medical School professor, testified for the plaintiffs. He said Tranxene should not have been prescribed for Behn since it is habit-forming, and that Tranxene combined with alcohol may worsen depression.

Bursztajn said that during Behn's treatment his psychiatric condition deteriorated from mildly depressive neurosis to a psychosis. Bursztajn said Tufo deviated from accepted standards by prescribing addictive and potentially lethal medication when safer ones exited.