Doctor charged with treating cancer patients with weed killer

<p>Federal prosecutors say a Stockbridge doctor treated patients with cancer and other life-threatening diseases with weed killer and insecticide.</p><p>Dr. Totada Shanthaveerappa, 70, of Stone Mountain, and his medical assistance, Dan Bartoli, 63, of McDonough, face 87 counts, including health care fraud and distributing unapproved and misbranded drugs. Shanthaveerappa, also known as Dr. T.R. Shantha, is also charged with money laundering.</p><p>According to prosecutors, Shantha owns and operates Integrated Medical Specialists and Integrated Chemotherapy Specialists in Stockbridge. On a Web site, he advertises that the clinic provides "safe and effective, nontoxic, scientifically based alternative methods that can cure or control most cancer and other chronic disease."</p><p>Prosecutors said Shantha and Bartoli injected numerous patients with unapproved and misbranded drugs, including Dinithrophenol, a commercial-grade weed killer and insecticide. The two men also submitted false insurance claims which disguised the types of drugs and treatments they were providing to patients, according to the indictment.</p><p>Shantha and Bartoli did not immediately return telephone calls Tuesday night.</p>