UCLA Seals Leak in Farrah Fawcett File

Oops...they did it again.

Months after word came out that UCLA Medical Center staff has been snooping through Britney Spears' medical files, we now find out that this was not an isolated incident geared at the pop star's file. It turns out that Farrah Fawcett's medical charts had been improperly perused. This breach may have led to information being leat or sold to tabloids.

Shortly after UCLA doctors told Fawcett that her cancer had returned -- and before she had told her son and closest friends -- the National Enquirer posted the news on its website. Indeed, alarming headlines regularly cropped up in the Enquirer and its sister publication, the Globe, within days of Fawcett's treatments at UCLA.

UCLA terminated the employee who inappropriately reviewed Fawcett's records, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. This was the second time that Fawcett's privacy had been breached at UCLA. In a 2006 letter, one of her physicians, Gary Gitnick, informed Fawcett that a former hospital contractor had listed her name on his blog, "suggesting you are a patient and/or charitable donor of mine and UCLA."

This worker who was not involved in Fawcett's care had been discovered to be reading about her treatment. However, the hospital claims that it found no evidence that indictaed the worker has told the tabloids about Fawcett's stay at the hospital. Fawcett remains wary.

"She's been invaded -- and these are the people who she entrusted her life to," said Craig J. Nevius, who is producing the upcoming documentary "A Wing and a Prayer," which chronicles Fawcett's battle with anal cancer and her efforts to protect her privacy.

One of Fawcett's lawyers, Kim Swartz, said his client was reluctant to sue over the leaked information, but added, "This is such an ugly situation...This has been very hard for her," Swartz said. "Not knowing who has her personal information has taken an incredible toll on her."

Might we suggest a new slogan for UCLA Medical Center? Scaring sex symbols away so you can enjoy your stay.

[Los Angeles Times]