VIP and former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson confirmed Wednesday that she has hepatitis C.
Anderson claims she contracted the disease from her ex-husband Tommy Lee. The two are currently involved in a custody battle over their two children.
“It is true I have hepatitis C and have undergone outpatient treatment at
UCLA Medical Center. I contracted hepatitis C while sharing a tattoo needle
with my ex-husband Tommy Lee,” Anderson said in a statement released by her
publicist, Marleah Leslie.
“A mutual doctor confirmed this at the time. Tommy has the disease and
never disclosed it to me during our marriage,” she added.
Hepatitis C is spread through blood-to-blood contact or through unprotected sex. About 3.9 million Americans are infected with the disease, which can cause severe liver damage.
A representative for Lee denied that he gave Anderson the disease, telling Entertainment Tonight that “Tommy has never had hepatitis C or any sexually transmitted diseases.”
Lee reportedly tested negative for the disease yesterday.
His publicist, Beth Katz, said in a statement to The Associated Press: “Her actions are a clear attack on Tommy, and hopefully she will realize that she is doing more harm to her children and herself by trying to use the media as a tool to hurt Tommy and their two boys.”
In December, California Superior Court Judge Lee Smalley Edmon denied Anderson‘s request for more monitoring of Lee‘s visits with their two sons, Brandon, 5, and Dylan, 3, adding that she didn’t see anything that led her to believe monitoring was necessary to protect the children.
She also told Anderson and Lee to avoid making negative comments about each other to the children and to try to prevent third-party insults. Anderson, however, said she would protect her children until her last day and her last dollar.
Lee did not discuss Anderson‘s allegation publicly in December but said he planned to ask the court for equal custody at a March 19 hearing.
