Quick Links
- A-Z Index
- Physician Survey Data
- Role of the Medical Board of California
- Members and Executive Staff
- Committees and Task Forces
- Board and Committee Meetings
- Media Room
- Job Opportunities
- Complaints/Comments About the Board
- Important Phone and Fax Numbers
- District and Probation Office Locations
- Link to Groupwise Web Access
News Release — February 27, 2006
MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
February 27, 2006
Medical Board of California Accusation Leads
To Surrender of Los Angeles Physician's License
SACRAMENTO—Facing an Accusation of wrongdoing by the Medical Board of California, Los Angeles physician Samuel L. Cotton, M.D. has surrendered his license to practice medicine. The stipulated surrender of his medical license was ordered on February 17, 2006 and became effective on February 24, 2006. Medical Board Executive Director Dave Thornton stated, "The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers. We work diligently to achieve our mission by vigorously enforcing the Medical Practice Act."
The Medical Board accused Cotton of unprofessional conduct for violating Business and Professions Code sections 2234(b)(c)(d) (gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, and incompetence) and 2266 (failure to maintain adequate and accurate medical records) in his care and treatment of three patients.
The board accused Cotton of gross negligence in that he began treating one of the patients for anemia and iron deficiency starting in November 1990 and out of the 40 office visits with this patient, he failed to: adequately diagnose or treat the patient's proteinuria or anemia in a timely and effective manner; further investigate the complaint and arrive at a diagnosis as to the cause and institute a course of therapy; modify the course of prescribing oral iron medication after the patient complained the pills made her dizzy - patient was intolerant of the oral medication, thus keeping her condition from improving; refer her to a hematologist until April 2001 to evaluate her anemia, iron deficiency and low hematocrit levels that had been persistent and uncorrected during all the years he had been treating her; follow-up on the recommendations of the hematologist that the patient continue to receive intravenous injections of iron, that her iron deficiency should be controlled, and that an underlying thalassemic syndrome should be evaluated; recognize, follow up on, or treat the early signs of renal failure; and diagnose uterine fibroid, or to rule out uterine problems as the source of her anemia, iron deficiency and blood loss until November 2001.
********
The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers through the proper licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions and through the vigorous, objective enforcement of the Medical Practice Act.
If you have a question or complaint about the healthcare you are receiving, the board encourages you to visit its Web site at www.caldocinfo.ca.gov or for questions call the Consumer Information Line at (916) 263-2382, or with complaints call (800) 633-2322.
###
