News Release — December 23, 2005

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December 23, 2005

Medical Board of California Accusation Leads
To Surrender of Huntington Park Physician's License

SACRAMENTO—Facing an Accusation of unprofessional conduct by the Medical Board of California, Huntington Park physician Jose Alfredo Martinez, M.D. has surrendered his license to practice medicine. The stipulated surrender of his license was ordered on December 21, 2005 and became effective retroactively on December 1, 2005. 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 Martinez of violating multiple sections of the Business and Professions Code, including section 2234(b)(c)(d) (gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, and incompetence), sections 2234(e) and 2261 (dishonest and false medical records), in his care and treatment of two patients.

The Accusation alleged that Martinez: failed to test, or to document that he tested, patients for an allergic reaction to Collagen or any other foreign substance prior to injecting them; failed to inform, or to document that he informed the patients of the risks and complications of injecting Collagen or any foreign material in and around the eyes; failed to advise, or to document that he advised the patients of the risk of an allergic reaction to Collagen or to the injection of any foreign material around the eyes and around the forehead; failed to offer to test the patients for allergic reactions, or to document that he offered the test, that he explained the test's risks, and that the patients declined the allergy test before being injected; failed to wait, or to document that he had informed the patients that it was important to wait, at least four weeks after a skin test in order to prevent or detect an immediate or delayed allergic reaction, before injecting the patients with Collagen or other foreign material; failed to document the lot numbers and expiration dates of the Zyplast that was injected into the patients; failed to record information about the product for possible contamination or mislabeling (so as to avoid using the product on other patients); and, failed to provide one patient and the subsequent treating surgeon with a complete and accurate set of the patient's medical records.

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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.

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