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East County News Service
September 22, 2022 (San Diego) – Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 1636, the Patient Protection Act, into law. The measure was authored by Assemblymember Akila Weber, M.D.. (D-San Diego) whose 79th Assembly district includes portions of East County.
“AB 1636 will preserve confidence in the medical profession by ensuring physicians convicted of sexual misconduct with a patient would automatically have their license revoked and cannot acquire or have it reinstated,” said Assemblymember Weber.
“The heinous behavior of abusing patients goes against everything physicians stand for and should not be tolerated. This legislation is essential to protect patients and the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship.”
This bill, which was sponsored by the California Medical Association, removes the discretion from a medical board to give or reinstate a physician or surgeon who lost their license due to sexual misconduct with a patient.
The patient-doctor relationship is based on trust, and patients in this relationship are in a particularly vulnerable situation, a press release from Dr. Weber’s office notes, adding that a medical license is a privilege and not a right.
“Nothing is more fundamental to the California Medical Association and the integrity of the medical profession than protecting patients and the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship,” said CMA President Robert E. Wailes, M.D. “We thank the Governor for signing AB 1636 to ensure that the Medical Board of California has the tools they need to protect patients and keep any physician who violates a patient’s trust from practicing medicine.”
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