Logan Reid
There have been several instances of blood being stolen from hospitals. In 2016, four vials of blood were stolen from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, and in 2018, a doctor in upstate New York was arrested for stealing blood from his patients. In addition, there have been reports of individuals posing as nurses to steal blood from hospitals, and in 2024, a gang of cybercriminals hacked into London hospitals and published stolen blood test data. These incidents raise concerns about the security of medical facilities and the protection of patient information and specimens.
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What You'll Learn
- A woman posing as a nurse stole blood from a child in Indiana, USA
- Cybercriminals hack London hospitals, publish sensitive patient data
- A New York doctor with a history of stealing blood
- Four vials of blood stolen from OSF Saint Francis Medical
- Richard Chase, nicknamed Dracula for his blood fixation, stole blood from therapy dogs
A woman posing as a nurse stole blood from a child in Indiana, USA
A woman posing as a nurse stole blood from a child in an emergency room in Indiana, USA, in 1996 or 1997. The child, u/PaganPrincess22, was 5 or 6 years old at the time. In a Reddit post, they recounted the incident, which occurred at a hospital called Marion County Hospital, now known as Wishard or Eskenazi Hospital.
According to u/PaganPrincess22, the woman drew their blood and placed it into tubes. This has sparked speculation about the woman's identity and her motives. Some Reddit users have suggested that the woman may have had some medical training and was trying to cover something up by obtaining a "clean blood panel." Others have jokingly speculated that the woman stole the child's superpowers to give to Russian super-soldiers.
The incident has raised questions about the security measures in place at the hospital. Hospitals are typically known for being extremely stranger-unfriendly places, with tight controls on supplies, particularly needles, which are required to be locked away. It is unclear how the woman posing as a nurse was able to gain access to the necessary equipment and draw blood without raising suspicion.
U/PaganPrincess22's post has prompted other Reddit users to share their own experiences and theories about the incident. Some have offered advice on tracking down medical records and reaching out to the hospital for more information. The post has also sparked discussions about the accuracy of childhood memories and the possibility of false or distorted recollections.
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Cybercriminals hack London hospitals, publish sensitive patient data
In June 2024, the cyber-criminal gang Qilin hacked into the IT system of Synnovis, an NHS pathology testing provider, and published almost 400GB of sensitive patient data on their darknet site. Synnovis is a partnership between London hospital trusts and Synlab, and the hack caused serious disruption to multiple London hospitals, with over 3,000 hospital appointments and operations facing delay or cancellation. The published data included patient names, dates of birth, NHS numbers, and descriptions of blood tests, although it is unclear whether test results were also included.
Qilin, a Russian-based ransomware group, has been attempting to extort money from Synnovis since the hack on 3 June, demanding upwards of $50 million to not release the data. They claim that the attack was to punish the UK for not helping enough in an unspecified war, although cyber security experts have dismissed this as "absolute garbage", stating that their aims are "entirely financial".
This incident highlights the increasing vulnerability of the healthcare sector to cyber-attacks, as large amounts of sensitive data make it a prime target for hackers. It also underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures in the healthcare sector to prevent such attacks from occurring.
While there are no reports of blood being stolen from hospitals, there are a few instances of individuals posing as medical professionals to steal blood from patients. For example, in a Reddit post, a user describes how a woman posing as a nurse stole their blood in an Indiana, USA emergency room in 1996-1997. Additionally, a cardiologist at Canton-Potsdam Hospital in upstate New York was found to have stolen blood from a patient's intravenous line to submit as his own sample. There are also some reports of blood vials being stolen from hospitals, but these incidents do not involve individuals posing as medical staff.
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A New York doctor with a history of stealing blood
In 2018, a cardiologist at Canton-Potsdam Hospital in upstate New York, Dr. Richard F. Wessel, was arrested for stealing prescription painkillers from his patients. The 59-year-old Wessel, who made over $814,000 a year, was found to be in possession of 118 hydrocodone-acetaminophen pills that had not been prescribed to him. He was charged with five counts of petit larceny and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance.
This was not Wessel's first brush with the law. In 1999, while working in North Carolina, he was asked for a blood sample to determine his blood alcohol level after he drank alcohol and had to implant a pacemaker in a patient. Wessel took blood from a patient's intravenous line and submitted it as his own. His medical license was suspended for two months following this incident.
Wessel's license was suspended again in 2006 for two years after he tested positive for cocaine and hydrocodone and improperly prescribed drugs. Despite these prior suspensions, Wessel was granted a medical license in New York in 2014. After his 2018 arrest, the New York Board for Professional Medical Conduct ordered Wessel to stop practicing medicine while it investigates the case.
The case has raised questions about the review process for medical licenses in New York. The state Education Department, which issues medical licenses, conducts a review to determine if applicants are of "good moral character" and investigates any prior instances of medical misconduct. However, in Wessel's case, the department blacked out his answer on the application form regarding previous suspensions, citing privacy concerns.
While some argue that doctors in recovery should not be precluded from obtaining a license, others, like Dr. Sidney Wolfe, an expert on doctor discipline, criticize the licensing of individuals with a history of misconduct. The debate highlights the need for a balanced approach that ensures patient safety while also providing a path for rehabilitated individuals to continue their careers.
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Four vials of blood stolen from OSF Saint Francis Medical
In 2016, four vials of blood were stolen from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. The blood samples were left unattended outside the laboratory by a courier, who had worked for OSF for years and had a solid employment history. The vials were left in a green soft cooler on the ground near the courier's car door.
The hospital stated that this was an unusual occurrence and that no testing samples had ever been stolen before. They also reassured the public that there was no reason to fear any repeat incidents. The hospital spokesperson, Shelli Dankoff, speculated that the thief likely did not know what they were taking.
Following the theft, OSF tracked down the three people whose blood was in the vials and contacted them for follow-up. The hospital also reinforced its security policies with couriers to ensure that coolers are not left unattended on the ground in the future.
Despite the investigation by the Peoria police, the thief remains at large, and the vials of blood have not been recovered.
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Richard Chase, nicknamed Dracula for his blood fixation, stole blood from therapy dogs
Richard Chase, also known as the "Vampire of Sacramento", was a serial killer and cannibal who committed at least six murders in California during the late 1970s. Chase had a long history of mental illness and substance abuse, and his killings were driven by his belief that drinking blood would prevent his heart from shrinking and protect him from "outside forces" that were trying to steal his blood.
Chase's fixation on blood began in his early twenties when he started injecting himself with animal blood and consuming raw animals. He was hospitalized for blood poisoning in 1975 after injecting rabbit's blood into his veins. The hospital staff nicknamed him "Dracula" due to his bizarre behaviour and fixation on blood. After being treated with psychotropic drugs, Chase was released from the hospital in 1976 and placed in the care of his mother. However, his mother weaned him off his medication because she believed it made him lethargic.
Alone in an apartment, Chase began capturing, killing, and disemboweling animals, including dogs and puppies. He would drink their blood and eat their raw guts, sometimes blending them with Coca-Cola to make milkshakes. On one occasion, he broke the necks of two birds he caught and drank their blood. He also stole blood from therapy dogs using stolen syringes.
Chase's killings escalated to humans in December 1977 when he killed his first known victim, Ambrose Griffin, in a drive-by shooting. He would shoot his victims and then mutilate their bodies, ingesting their blood and organs. He also engaged in necrophilia with his female victims. Chase was arrested in 1979 and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. However, he was deemed legally sane at the time of the crimes and was found guilty on all six murder counts.
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Frequently asked questions
An unknown person stole four vials of blood from three patients at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in 2016.
A cardiologist at Canton-Potsdam Hospital stole blood from a patient's intravenous line and submitted it as his own when asked for a blood sample.
A woman posing as a nurse stole blood from a 5 or 6-year-old child in an Indiana, USA emergency room.
A gang of cybercriminals, Qilin, stole and published sensitive patient data, including blood test data, from multiple London hospitals and an NHS pathology testing provider, Synnovis, in 2024.
