News Release — August 20, 2002

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August 20, 2002

Medical Board Revokes License of Sonora Physician

SACRAMENTO-The Medical Board of California has revoked the medical license of Vernon D. Rickard, M.D., of Sonora. The decision becomes effective September 11, 2002.

The Board's Division of Medical Quality adopted the Proposed Decision of Administrative Law Judge Karl S. Engeman to revoke Rickard's license. After a hearing on the case, Judge Engeman found that Rickard was negligent in the prescribing of drugs due to the failure to obtain an adequate history or examination of two patients before prescribing controlled substances, guilty of gross negligence with a third patient for whom he made a psychiatric diagnosis without foundation, and guilty of gross negligence and sexual misconduct with a fourth patient.

The fourth patient had sought Rickard's help with chest pains, fearing she was having a heart attack. Rickard treated her with nitroglycerine tablets and a "stress relief massage," which included holding his hands above her face to "draw out stress," as well as a manual massage of her body, including inappropriate, unprofessional, and blatantly sexual touching. Judge Engeman termed Rickard's conduct a sexual assault, and further concluded that Rickard had lied under oath in his characterization of the patient as a "deranged drug addict" and in his response when asked to explain a very incriminating tape-recorded conversation after the above-described incident with this patient.

Rickard also was ordered, within 90 days of the effective date of this decision, to reimburse the Board's Division of Medical Quality its costs of investigation and prosecution in the amount of $29,461.

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The Medical Board of California is the state agency responsible for licensing and regulating physicians in this state.

www.medbd.ca.gov
Information about specific physicians: (916) 263-2382
Complaint line: (800) 633-2322

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