A Tale of the Two Revocations of John E. Gambee, M.D. From the Desk of Dr. Gambee – A Letter to Former Patients
September 1, 2011
Dear Former Patients,
The OMB & My First Revocation – 1979 through 1997 In the late 1970s, the OMB began a purge of Oregon MDs who practiced outside of drugs, surgery, & radiation. (Since then, dozens of Oregon alternative doctors have been driven out of the State or lost their medical licenses.) Oblivious at the time, I left a surgical practice in Salt Lake City and joined a preventive/restorative medical practice in Eugene, in January 1979. By 1980, the OMB drove my associate out of the state and had already set its sights set on my license.
The OMB, OMA, Blue Cross, et al, didn't care if alternative therapies were often safer or more effective. In fact, they held in contempt chelation therapy; cranialsacral, nutritional replacement, electro-allergy; Broda Barnes MD's thyroid replacement; homeopathy, etc. In vain, I provided the OMB with books and reams of peer-reviewed traditional and alternative medical literature, in support of what I did. The OMB was never interested in scientific exchange. In 1994, despite that I had no complaints of harm or malpractice, the OMB deemed me a quack and revoked my license. I went from a completely unblemished record to being permanently revoked, i.e., without a “stay” of the revocation typically granted to traditionalists, even in cases of severe injury to patients. See Encl. #1 - reaction to the revocation, #2 – legislative disgust with the OMB's bias, #3 - language of the alternative bill, and #4 - the OMB's disparity/bias in treatment of doctors.
The OMB & My Emergency Suspension – 2010 Despite the new law, the OMB's persecution/witch-hunt never stopped. When the OMB's fishing trips and continuing investigations of me again failed to uncover a credible reason to revoke my license, the OMB concocted its own false claims. After filing a false complaint against me in May 2010, I requested a hearing. The OMB assured my attorney, William G. Wheatley, that a hearing would soon be held. Instead, it stalled and then stunned us in September, with an “emergency” suspension of my license. Except in my case, an “emergency” suspension is reserved for truly dangerous physicians who sexually molest patients or cut off the wrong limb, under the influence of drugs & alcohol. The OMB used an “emergency” suspension to give the appearance that I was too dangerous to remain in practice another minute! It was also used as an excuse to suspend my license before allowing me a hearing to contest the OMB's outrageously false charges: a) that I had violated an OMB Order, which I had not, and b) failed to do prostate exams on two patients, that I had done! I wasn't allowed a hearing until six months after I requested one, and when the December Hearing was finally held, the practice I had rebuilt over the years had long been closed and destroyed. At the Hearing, attorney Wheatley easily proved that the OMB's charges were false: Even the OMB expert witness testified that I was not in violation of an Order, and the patient charts clearly showed that I had charted doing the prostate exams. Dr. James Peck, the OMB Medical Director had made the false claim. Was Dr. Peck so eager to see my license revoked that he hadn't read the charts in question and seen that I had done the exams? Was he too incompetent to know that “DRE” was the standard notation for Digital Rectal Exam, prostate exam? In either case, the OMB refused to let Dr. Peck attend the Hearing and be cross-examined by attorney Wheatley!! So much for due process & the right to face one's accuser! Truth and fact are irrelevant to the OMB. This state agency makes and operates under its own “administrative rules” and does virtually whatever it wants. (See Encl. #2 re legislators' anger with the OBM's incompetence and biased administrative “rules,” bias that continues today against Oregon's alternative physicians, including two of the fine expert witnesses at my Hearing. To punish them for standing up for alternative medicine, the OMB terrorists have opened investigations on them.
The OMB & My Second Revocation – 2011 to the Present Even after we easily disproved the outlandish, false charge re the prostate exams, which had been the basis of the Emergency Suspension Order, the OMB kept me suspended another seven months and refused to mitigate the harsh & hostile disciplinary action of a revocation. In July 2011, after leaving me on suspension for ten months, the OMB finally officially revoked my license. I knew the revocation was coming, yet it is still a kick in the gut that is taking some time to absorb, because it is so irrational.
But I am ready to fight it. In 30+ years of practice in Oregon, the OMB still had not received a complaint of harm by me (We'd have heard about it if it had!!!), and I've had no malpractice claim. The OMB also knew I had no complaints or malpractice in the 1970s when I practiced surgery. That's 40 years of practice in Oregon and Utah - without harm done! In spite of the OMB character assassination of me, it knows that I am not a danger to the public. My case is clearly about the suppression of lawful alternative medical choices.
I might add that Medical Director Dr. Peck had paid both large and small malpractice claims. In 1990, Dr. Neace, an OMB member who voted to emergency suspend me and also to revoke my license, paid an $800,000 malpractice indemnity, which suggests that he caused great harm, if not death, to a patient. That's a large indemnity, and back then, it was far more than it is now. (See Encl. #4 - more on malpractice and the OMB's protection of criminal behavior.) Enough said for now, except that Encl.#4 is only the tip of the iceberg. We all know that a good doctor may receive a malpractice claim, but one has to wonder why Oregon citizens can no longer readily discern if a current or potential physician has a seriously questionable record or not. Why shouldn't doctors'medical malpractice be posted, along with state licenses and other framed certificates, on what author John Grisham calls their “Ego Walls”? &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp;
The OMB and My Appeal Moving forward: Attorney Wheatley knew that the Hearing would not change the OMB's arrogant, biased mind set. He and others who have looked at the case felt that the Appellate Court is where judges would be able to see through the OMB and stop the ruthless madness. On September 1, 2011, Mr. Wheatley filed a 58-page petition for judicial review in the Court of Appeals!!
“The highest ideal of cure is the speedy, gentle and enduring restoration of health by the most trustworthy and least harmful way.” -Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1844), Founder of Homeopathy
Here Is Where You Can Help Where possible, please continue to help us stand up to the ruthless OMB's vengeance. All efforts will be hugely appreciated! This battle is about a lot more than my medical license, but if the OMB is allowed to do this to me, it'll accelerate its plan to purge all alternative practitioners.
1. Pray for and/or think good thoughts about preserving medical choices.
2. Send monetary donations to John E. Gambee, M.D, Legal Fund. (No amount too small or too large. We have a challenging job to do, and with your support, we'll succeed). The Appellate battle will decide whether the OMB can a) keep thumbing its nose at the alternative medicine statute and patients' lawful medical choices, and b) expedite its plan to persecute and criminally prosecute alternative medical practitioners, by labeling their practices quackery/fraudulent. See Enclosure #5, “We're Quacks Now, By Gum, We're Quacks.”
3. Subscribe to Gambee Alternatives, the magazine my son, Johnny, and I are publishing about health, freedom, and happiness. You'll receive a free copy later in September, with a subscription envelope in it. The special introductory cost of the 48-page magazine is $18/yr. (12 issues, beginning with the November issue). That's just $1.50/mo, and 25% less than our former 8-page newsletter, Ounce of Prevention. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. One goal of the magazine is to make the OMB regret providing me with the time to create this magazine.
In addition to lots of health information, Gambee Alternatives will help you survive the catastrophic changes coming down the medical pike. It will expose secretive operations of the OMB, medical insurance, and the Federation of State Medical Boards, which have planned the demise, not just of alternative MDs, but naturopaths, homeopaths, et al.
4. If you have a business, call Johnny, 541.514.9858 about putting a business ad or listing in Gambee Alternatives. If you don't have a business, encourage friends or family with businesses to “Advertise with Alternatives.” If you have sales experience and interest in selling ads for the magazine, call Johnny (Ph. 541.514.9858) for an interview.
5. Purchase supplements from our office “store.” We're open 9am – 3pm, M-F. Guy, with Mary's help, is managing the store for us. Most of you know what a fountain of knowledge Guy is - if you have supplement questions, Guy is regularly here on Mon., Tues., and Wedn. mornings. Specials: Through 2011 you'll save 10% on ˝ cases (six of same item) and 15% on cases (12 of same item). Buyer pays shipping or picks up order at our office. Call ahead for case specials. Spread the word to family/friends. Combine orders to get the larger discount. If you can stock up, do so - most of us are going to need some reserves in the next while.
6. If you know someone who would like to receive my emails, have them call the office, 541.998.0111. I send two or so emails each week. (Don't worry, they won't be this long and will have lots of health tips.)
Best wishes, and thank you for your support, for which I'll be eternally grateful!
Dr. Gambee & Staff
