Employee fired for peeking at Fawcett file

LOS ANGELES , April 3 (UPI) -- UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles has fired an employee who read actress Farrah Fawcett's medical files without authorization, officials said.

The incident took place months before UCLA Medical Center caught and disciplined numerous staffers for perusing the medical records of singer Britney Spears, the Los Angeles Times said.

In the Spears case, 13 employees were to be fired and 12 others disciplined for improperly accessing Spears' files from when she was treated in the medical center's psychiatric hospital.

UCLA officials told the Times at the time that the breach was an isolated incident.

Fawcett's attorneys told the newspaper they are concerned the information documented in her records might have been leaked or sold to tabloids.

Shortly after she learned from UCLA doctors her cancer had returned, but before she was able to break the news to her son and closest friends, the National Enquirer posted information about her illness on its Web site.

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