What an embarrassment for Washington State! Action Alert!
Last month we told you about the administrative hearing that integrative physician and natural health pioneer Jonathan Wright, MD, was subjected to. The Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission (MQAC) has been pursuing a decades-long vendetta against Dr. Wright and other integrative physicians. It all seems out of character for a state like Washington with its advanced technology and openness to new ways of living.
You’ll recall that the case concerns a medical doctor who had been licensed outside Washington State. He joined Dr. Wright’s Tahoma Clinic under the condition that he apply for a Washington medical license. He did, and the doctor’s Washington license was listed as “pending” on the MQAC website. During this period, Dr. Wright followed legal advice he had received and monitored him closely as required by Washington law. MQAC then charged Dr. Wright with “aiding and abetting the unlicensed practice of medicine” because the doctor’s out-of-state license had been revoked—a fact that at least four MQAC staff members admitted they knew from the beginning, but never put on the MQAC website or told Dr. Wright about.
Before last month’s hearing, MQAC requested that five patient files be sent to the commission. Dr. Wright did so, but he redacted the patients’ names, health problems, and treatment to protect their privacy. The point of the case files was to show that Dr. Wright was supervising the out-of-state doctor, a fact that was clearly indicated in the patient files. Redacting the patient-specific information is completely proper and legal. Would anyone want their private medical information to be reviewed by a state medical board without permission?
MQAC complained about the redacted information. Dr. Wright wrote to MQAC asserting his rights to redact the information and pointing to the legal precedent allowing him to do so. Rather than responding to the letter, they simply added new “non-cooperation” charges to his list of supposed offenses.
On the day before the hearing, Dr. Wright’s out-of-state lead counsel, a specialist in these matters, experienced some serious medical issues. He emailed the MQAC hearing’s presiding officer, asking for an emergency continuance and supplying all the necessary medical documentation. Lawyers are very courteous with each other as a rule, and such a continuance is common. But in this case it was denied.
Dr. Wright also had an in-state attorney, as is usual, though he had not intended to present legal arguments at the hearing. He too asked for a continuance, since it would take him several days to review the extensive case files and get fully up to speed. Nope—the presiding officer only gave him the rest of the day to study. In the end, the out-of-state counsel had to fly to the hearing anyway—against the advice of his own physician.
During the hearing, the “prosecutor,” a representative of the state Attorney General (AG)’s office roped in for such duty, claimed that the law regarding out-of-state licensed doctors “was not meant to be followed exactly as written,” and there should be limits to how much a doctor with a pending license should be allowed to do, although this is nowhere in the law. Moreover, the Assistant AG acknowledged that there was no evidence that Dr. Wright knew anything about the license revocation—which makes the charges all the more absurd, particularly since MQAC staff, by their own admission, knew from day one that the out-of-state MD’s medical license had been revoked in his own state. If anyone should be charged with “aiding and abetting the unlicensed practice of medicine,” it should be MQAC! Their negligence goes completely against their stated mission of “promoting patient safety and enhancing the integrity of the profession.”
At the beginning of the hearing, in her opening statement, the Assistant AG said the outcome of the hearing will be “automatically appealed.” This is a giant red flag. MQAC is making the decision, so they’re not going to appeal their own decision. If the decision is rendered in favor of Dr. Wright, he certainly won’t appeal! The only reason for an appeal would be if Dr. Wright loses. The Assistant AG’s statement strongly implies that she knows the final decision already and that it will be adverse to Dr. Wright.
The ruling will be issued 30 to 45 days after the hearing, which means we’ll likely learn the results by the end of April. If he loses, Dr. Wright will indeed appeal. Instead of an administrative court in which MQAC conducts its own hearing (which makes bias a very strong possibility), his case will be heard by a state superior court. Depending on the decision, it could be appealed further.
All of this is, of course, extremely expensive. MQAC knows this. The commission can spend all the public money it wishes, and this is a way to intimidate doctors into admitting some guilt, even when innocent, in order to get a settlement and avoid financial ruin.
Jonathan Wright, MD, isn’t about to buckle under this intimidation. He is a champion of natural health. He has developed innovative and successful natural therapies utilizing food, supplements, and lifestyle changes for a host of maladies that conventional medicine cannot cure. Now he needs your help. If you would like to help in his battle against an egregious injustice, we invite you to donate to the Dr. Jonathan Wright Legal Defense Fund. Please give generously.
In addition, if you are a Washington resident and have not already done so, please contact your governor and state legislators about MQAC blaming—and threatening Dr. Wright with penalties—for a problem MQAC itself created! Please send your message today!
This sounds exactly like what happened to Dr. John Gambee in Oregon. At his administrative hearing before the Oregon Medical Board, the AG requested that Janet Gambee not be allowed into the hearing. Dr. Gambee’s wife was not allowed to hear the case. The AG turned his back on a power point presentation. Not a single member of the Board attended the hearing. The administrative court judge allowed the Oregon Medical Board to bring in another witness after the schedule had been completed.
ARGGGHHH!
This is the typical pattern of behavior for these QA boards. Californai also has some interesting cases from years ago when they were attcking doctors for treating chemical sensitivity and related issues. It is systemic.
Can’t we send letters supporting Dr. Wright even though we don’t reside in Washington State? Couldn’t those letters be sent to the Governor and the leadership of the State Senate and House of Representatives?
This is just the beginning of the Obamacare and all the problems that the government is going to cause the Medical profession. The paying of doctors through Medicare and Medicaid in CA started right away when Obama was elected. So far I have lost two doctors because they can’t afford to wait almost 2 years to be paid. We lost our ambulance last year. This was an ambulance that was adding more ambulances and staff each year for 20 years or more. Medicare and Medicaid put them in N. CA and we are in S. CA. We had to transport illegals, even if they didn’t need transported, or get sued. In 9 months we were 100 thousand dollars in the red from transporting illegals. This can’t be recovered. No payment from Medicare and Medicaid for almost a year, two years to get the account moved to Southern CA. We couldn’t bill because they said we waited to long, We had to close the doors., THAT’S WHAT OBAMA IS DOING TO OUR COUNTRY! TAKEN US DOWN WITH-IN.
GOD BLESS YOU AND WILL PRAY FOR A WIN,. Nellie
I live in WA state and wrote to my legislators about the Dr. Wright witch hunt. One of them wrote back and said they have no jurisdiction over MWAC. Our new attorney general, Bob Ferguson, who was just elected in November is a really good guy. I wonder how much he even knows about this case, since it is being prosecuted by the Asst. AG. I think writing to Mr. Ferguson would be a better bet than writing to your senators and representatives.
http://www.atg.wa.gov/ContactUs.aspx
The legislature has full jurisdiction over all the agencies in WA because they write the laws. In my case my former legislator and then Senator did a full investigation and his office found that the QA investigation was fully inaccurate. The interesting issue is that I still had to comply with the adminstrative process. Eventually I had to appeal and at that time the QA failed to properly act as ruled by the ALJ. I was successful on my appeal but the state has never followed the order and continues to cover up their abuse. I even proved in a criminal and civil case that the false claims were in fact dfalse but they just think they are avobe the law. The state ethics board is not much better. People should be flooding the Secretary of Health Mary Selecky’s office with complaints. [email protected] and also Karen Jensen who is in charge of investigations [email protected]
This is indicative of the universal attempts by ‘Big Pharma’ to crush all competition. Sorry to see Dr. Wright being attacked when his brilliant mind needs to be allowed to focus on what he does best –helping people economically / naturally / co-operating with God’s way of healing the human body. As a Senior Citizen struggling to get by ,we can’t send any money but our prayers will go to God as He can help !!
I would encourage Washington residents to also write the Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, and ask him to stop wasting the taxpayer’s money pursuing the MQAC charges against Dr. Wright. As the report above indicates, MQAC perpetrated a fraud upon Dr. Wright from the beginning by withholding critical facts from him (and mis-stating others) regarding the qualifications his employee.
The AGs Office should not be supporting bogus charges against Dr. Wright. As the top Attorney in the State of Washington, I think it is the AGs job to advise MQAC to drop this case and pray that a client of the ‘license pending’ doctor does not sue the State, i.e. MQAC for failing to use due diligence and protect the public from a known-to-be unlicensed doctor. (Known by agents within the MQAC employ). Pursuing this case is not pursuing justice under the law or fairness in general.
I further object to the fact that this appears to have been a kangaroo court with a pre-decided outcome (by MQAC) and the outcome was pre-known by the Assistant AG that represented (prosecuted) Dr. Wright. My assessment that it was a kangaroo court is based on the reported fact that in the opening statement, the prosecuting Assistant Attorney General made the comment that the result of the hearing will be appealed; to me then, he or she knew the MQAC decision was to find Dr. Wright guilty. MQAC would not appeal its victory, so by inference Dr. Wright was to be found guilty. Hearings are to illuminate facts and are a waste of time and taxpayer money if such a hearing is simply a window dressing for a pre-decided outcome.
I am irritated by pursuit of injustice on my dime.
The Washington AG’s email comment form is found at: https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/ContactForm.aspx
The mailing address is: 1125 Washington Street SE, PO Box 40100, Olympia, WA 98504-0100
The AG asks: “When sending information, remember to include a return US Mail address, as well as your email address.”
The AGs phone number as listed on his website is: (360) 753-6200
The AG will do nothing more than refer it over the the AAG for DOH. Her name is Shirley Battan and she is just another Olympia insider and will only speak for the state to protect the agency.
Over the years in various states we have all heard stories of this type of unjustified action on the part of AGs and Medical Boards taking place. One never hears about any remedy for the problems created by these individuals and the Boards they are on. There also doesn’t seem to be a clear connection to motive on their part. Are these individuals immune from law suits?
Errata in my previous submittal:
I further object to the fact that this appears to have been a kangaroo court with a pre-decided outcome (by MQAC) and the outcome was pre-known by the Assistant AG that represented (prosecuted) Dr. Wright.
SHOULD READ:
I further object to the fact that this appears to have been a kangaroo court with a pre-decided outcome (by MQAC) and the outcome was pre-known by the Assistant AG that represented (prosecuted for) MQAC against Dr. Wright.
It is. This is just the way they do it in WA DOH
Unbelievable…… wait, no, it’s not. Thank you for taking up this cause. I worked in medical offices for hundreds of years, and I’ve seen what ruffling political feathers can do. Even when they’ve got a feeble case, they know that the financial damage legal torture can do to a practitioner, but I think the AG, the local AMA, and the MQAC have underestimated the level of indignation people are reaching. I will follow this with great interest!
Honestly, once this is over…the Dr should move from Washington and go help people elsewhere. I do believe the Universe makes some serious pushes when we don’t follow what it wants us to do. I had some similar things happen to me and yet I hung on and stayed…. I KNEW I needed a change but didn’t want to make it. Well the Universe made it for me! The perpetrators won out and I was forced to make a change. Now I’m happier than ever. I’m doing something much more suited to me in the same field. I’m not saying the Dr should leave integrative medicine….I think he should make a change, likely in locale. I bet if we asked the Dr, he’d say he’d been “thinking” of moving for years but didn’t want to for financial or family reasons. Well, if the Universe wants you to move…you. will. move. 😉 Its better to go quietly than be dragged.
I think he’ll win this lawsuit and maybe even come out with a nice big punitive award for his trouble. Good luck!
MQAC’s actions against Dr. Wright are outrageous. They should not have the power to do what they are doing. I’m surprised that in the state of Washington this is allowed.
You need to be in a situation with WA DOH to fully understand that they do not care what is correct or legal. The use administrative law to get away with thier abuses and no one in the agency, govenor or legislature acts to correct it. I am also one of their victims for whistleblowing against a company that the Feds later prosecuted for insurance fraud in 10 states. Numerous pateint abuse issues and fabricating medical records was also at issue along with other citations.
I live on a very minimal and fixed disability income, so I can really afford nothing. However, the $10 I am sending is worth fasting for a day or two if Dr. Wright prevails in court in this outrageous injustice. Best Wishes and I truly wish I could send more.
The extent of condition of all pending medical licenses shown on the website should be determined. If any are found in similar circumstances without a similar action it demonstrates further the bias on the part of MQAC. Past history should be checked also.
The discussion never speaks about what happened to the DR whose Lic was “pending” or why his Lic was revoked. Has the website been corrected?
I believe the AMA and the FDA should be charged with criminal acts against humanity by denying people the health care of their choice and prosecuting doctors who practice what their patients want. They should also be charged with reckless use of drugs which cause great harm. The drug salesmen and lobbyists should be included in this travesty. Americans are not stupid. WE know how the pharmaceutical companies operate and it is criminal.
“he redacted the patients’ names, health problems, and treatment to protect their privacy.”
What am I missing here? Simply removing their names protects their privacy…am I right or not?…..removing pretty much the whole essence of their charts is bound to poke at the belly of the beast! Why provoke them like this? I reported on the Federation of State Medical Boards In Washington 13 years ago and fully know the game…it is certainly a stacked deck.
It is to bad that we who believe in health and doctors who do the same can’t speak up to the those in WA State who are against Dr. Wright.
Someone should ask doctor Oz to get him on the show and help him!
“MQAC should be ashamed of itself for mindlessly attacking Dr. Wright on ridiculous grounds, for blaming him for its own mistakes, and for an arrogant refusal to follow its own rules.”
Good Gosh! This is not “mindless”! It is orchestrated by the Federation of State Medical Boards…a private corporation OVER 100 YEARS OLD…. they dictate to the state medical boards the actions to take that will supress physician’s use of non-prescriptive treatments. The blueprint for this was done 14 years ago as a Subcommittee report on Unconventional Medicine by FSMB. They have since removed it from the foreground but you can find it in their search at http://www.FSMB.org and note how they bias the report from the beginning by naming CAM as “questionable medicine”. They also redefined the definition of “harm” to broaden the state medical board’s mandate and get the CAM docs. They also own the disciplinary data bank. They also own the National Medical Boards and thus influence the test questions….are you really ready for all of this….?? You use the word “ashamed”…those of us using “good” medicine should be ashamed that we have not collectively attacked the Federation in a class action suit to open their private books and really see who supports this massive organization (300 staff and huge buildings in Euliss, TX.).
Some twenty-plus years ago, my Integrative M.D. was the subject of a witch hunt by the state medical board for more than five years. They tried to entrap him, without success, and made other efforts to prove him unfit to practice medicine. He finally won, but the stress, expense and effort of protecting an unblemished career took its toll and he sold his practice and retired. His successor has also been hounded, but not nearly so much as the former physician. I am grateful to the both of them, as I am 87+ years of age, healthy and take no pharmaceuticals because of their highly professional and knowledgeable care.
I wish the best for Dr. Wright.
Dr. Wright did what was RIGHT. Leave him alone. It is required in most legal documents including school transcripts to put a line through personal information. It was proper for Dr. Wright to delete confidential information. It is an “invasion of privacy,” to give confidential information without the patient’s authorization.
Sincerely,
Karyl Maier
St. Paul, MN
Please, it seems to be you would do better and more good by attacking Big Pharma in this state, rather than attacking a naturopath like Dr Wright. They do 1,000,000 times more harm than Dr could ever manage to do in a life time, and they do it in moments. Count all the deaths by prescription medicine in this state, and it will be clear who you should be harassaing instead of Dr Wright.
Dr Wright’s credentials are MD not ND.
Washington State MQAC has nothing better to do – looking for job security and using dr Wright as a scapegoat ! Waste of taxpayers money !!1
Dear Dr.Wright, I greatly admire your courage and persistence you have shown all thru these years of standing up for your rights and also the rights of the American citizen who has chosen the only right way to be healed of any and all diseases.Why can’t this corruption that is going on every day in the A.M.A. and Big Pharma be brought to a halt.Why are the Insurance Companies so blind towards what is happening? I have followed your work as well as that of Drs. Whittaker,West and
Williams as well as others and know that you people are on the right track and are actually curing patients ,which is a whole lot more than the mainstream bunch are doing.I truly regret that I am unable to donate to your most worthy cause at this time due to being out of work and am on a meager S.S. income. However if you need my signature for a petition ,or whatever I may be able to do to be of some help I would be willing to do what I can. Respectfully, Harv Rusell
Thank God I do not live in TheUSofA!
This is bureaucratic stupidity at its best (or do I mean worst!)
Sally, (if indeed that is who you are as opposed to an alias for WebMD and their ilk)
I have read Dr. Wrights columns for a couple of years now. I do not always agree with his advice, but I wouldn’t be a logical human if I did. But to say this man is a quack without introspecting conventional medicine is preposterous. Dr. Wrights methods are ones of natural and per individuum not the one pill fits all mentality of Big Pharma. Boisterous and outspoken, yes, but not a quack by a long shot.
Jeff Maze (not an alias)
Sally, your blog does not demonstrate that “By every standard Dr. Jonathan Wright is a quack.” Just that people should know what they are paying for.
As a business owner, I get these ‘subscription’ notices from magazines, Yellow Pages, poster companies and others. I don’t like it, nobody does.
Reading hair-brained accusations like yours, just make me want to defend the doctor, even though I know nothing except what is on this page. Is that what you wanted?
Sally,
You don’t understand that food is the best medicine. Dr. Wright is an excellent physician! He works to make man whole without harmful medications!
I used to take 13 medications. I now only take 2. I achieved this by using supplements, changing what I eat to healthier foods and taking supplements.
Posting a site that has crazy information that is not substantiated doesn’t mean you are correct. It means you are ill informed about natural treatments. You can learn more about natural health if you want to look for the information. It is out there!
Wishing you much health, without medication!
Marygrace~
This man, Dr. Wright has helped a lot of people with problems that no one else could figure out, including myself and many friends. There is nothing “quacky” about him. It’s refreshing to work with medical people that look outside the box.
Dr.Wright is a real health pioneer.Please help him with your donation.We can’t lose him to the wolves.Thanks,Van Carman
Personally I think Dr. Wright should take more control over the company in Frederick, Md that promotes his news letter and products. My grandfather was one of the first naturopaths in the U.S. beginning in the early 1900’s and had great cooperation with the medical doctors practicing nearby. I have been a patient of Dr. Alan Gaby, who has worked with Dr. Wright in the past and have used one of products that bears both their names for many years. However, I would not consider self prescribing the many supplements I use w/o the help of my own naturopath, licensed in AZ.
Patricia, can I ask who your naturopath is in Arizona? I’m looking for one….
Look at how long it took for Dr. Burzynski to be clear of harassment from the Texas Board. They HOUNDED him! They certainly tried to bankrupt him. I am so sorry for Dr. Wright, but you have to know that when you try to play both sides of the street: i.e., regular AMA style doctor, and also true healer not afraid to look at facts rather than pharma advertising, then you are going to get caught in somebodies cross-hairs. My own practitioner has given up private general practice, probably because the system is set up to stifle creativity and true healing, which is always particular to the patient and not a one-size-fits-all McDonald’s For Your Health. When will people learn that medicine is an art, not a science, and that the assembly line method does not achieve health?
Who’s the quack? M-QAC…..
DOH/MQAC are sheeple’s just like all other state agency employees – I know I was one of them. Do what you’re told, keep your mouth shut, and stay under the radar. Don’t think outside the box cause you could upset the balance of power/ego. blah blah blah. We have to treat every licensed person be the same….. blah blah blah. I have nothing nice to say about all the unnecessary rules and regulations and power structures. Sorry to all my friends who are state employees. I still love ya and I know you do the best you can despite having to sacrifice your soul to earn a living. I’m just now getting mine back. But you know me – I can’t keep my mouth shut.
I would very much like to see ANH-USA use all the social media more extensively, so these calls get quickly spread throughout the Internet. This would reach more politicians and prevent the outrageous harassment of Mr. Wright and of other honest clinicians and publishers.
I would like to find an ANH attorney who has enough time to look at some published ‘scientific’ studies using sick and very sick people as guinea pigs. If everyone knows of such attorney, please write: [email protected] I believe a good way to protect patients and the practitioners of honest medicine is to discredit the bad medicine and show people some stunning facts about the mainstream medical practice in this country.
Thank you
Just scratch a little deeper and you will find Big Pharma behind his persecution and/or vendetta… Ask yourself who the government lawyers work for? Are they contracted to big pharma – off course, they possibly sit on the board of these organizations and Wright is taking away their business. Once again government is destroying health & well being… and denying Americans real health care. Medicine is not health care – medicine is sick care. Nutrition is health care! But even nutrition is being eradicated in America.
A pre-decided trial outcome, is not due process of law.
Dr Wright could possibly obtain grant funding from the Foundation Center Library’s website. This is not a grant making entity, but instead, is a library devoted to nothing but grants. There are grants for non-profits, and grants to individuals.
See here :www.fdncenter.org enter into search box: Foundation Grants to Individuals
I signed the form letter after modifications, but I am really appalled at the wording of it! It comes off as an illiterate rant. I want my complaint to my politicians to be intelligent and rational–therefore I am upset that a company that is supposedly trying to help exonerate Dr Wright is making his supporters look stupid.