NC Medical Board Dr. Rashid A. Buttar Transcript - Page 16 of 16
most of these folks. In particular, Patient C canceled payment on a check and all payments made up until then were made by consent of the individual and apparently he was happy with it.
I don't think Patient D actually sued him and it did not appear and as a result we filed counterclaim and you said we did not consider ‑-
PRESIDENT RHYNE: We excluded Patient A.
MR. KNOX: Then if you go to Patient B, there's no one complaining about that. And Patient C apparently hasn't paid that bill yet. And so the restitution, it just is not there.
The second thing is the question about no harm. I think their expert ‑- and I want to tell you this and I've tried in a number of malpractice cases -- (inaudible) and the examination of the record and you have to understand if that's what you got, that's what you got and apparently you've not satisfied with all this being enough.
You have to weigh that when it comes to litigation and it's not to his credit for what he did. He spent two hours to go through multiple records and because he's never studied and didn't know anything about it. And so I think you have to weigh that when it comes to litigation of how much credibility and how much time did he spend. He did say it was two hours. I don't have the section, he's got it.
And I wonder when it comes to exploitation with regards to the money, if you look at what it costs for that lady to go up to Forsyth Hospital compared to what this doctor is charging you look at the videotapes, what all the people said, he's well in the ballpark of reasonable charges. So I don't think you can just jump off and say, well, his fees were astronomical.
And ‑- and if you didn't have any efficacy. Oftentimes chemotherapy doesn't have any efficacy and they charge you $187,000 for it. So don't know how you gaged to get the quantitative money on one side or the side that that's exploitation.
If it is, your fees could be jeopardy. Somebody could come and say, well, you know, an anesthesiologist in Wilmington charged X number of dollars and we charge Y, that's the freedom of the market. And so I urge you to consider that in the mitigation.
Anything else?
PRESIDENT RHYNE: All right. Thank you.
The Board will now retire to closed session to consider the evidence and the arguments of counsel and we'll announce the decision.
MR. KNOX: Dr. Buttar wants to know if he can something.
MR. JIMISON: I don't object to Dr. Buttar making a statement before the Board.
PRESIDENT RHYNE: Go ahead, Dr. Buttar.
COMMENTS BY DR. BUTTAR:
Dr. Rhyne, I'm not going to ‑- I'm not going to say much. I'm just going to say that everything that's happened over here today and yesterday, I appreciate you extending the courtesy of coming in early and staying later. I understand that only you guys asked, but I certainly didn't ask for it.
But I can tell you that in 1999 when this fiasco started with me, I really thought that there was a reason for physicians to be physicians to help patients.
If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be as sorry a state as the souls of those who live under tyranny. That was said by Thomas Jefferson. And I can tell and I can assure, I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to protect my patients.
I appreciate your time and I appreciate your consideration. But I also know that this witch hunt has been going on for a while and I also know that as in all truth, it will sustain itself. Thank you, ma'am.
MR. KNOX: I'm through.
PRESIDENT RHYNE: Okay. We'll go on into closed session.
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(WHEREUPON, THE PANEL RECESSED INTO
EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 8:34 P.M AND
RECONVENED AT 8:45 P.M.
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PRESIDENT RHYNE: This Board stands for public protection and not a witch hunt of doctors; and therefore, we think that we should be protecting the people of our state, so we're going to recommend the following to the full Board.
That a summary (sic) suspension to be stayed immediately;
And with three restrictions on your license, Dr. Buttar.
One is that you cease the use of hydrogen peroxide.
Number two, you do not treat any cancer patients whether they had cancer in the past, or cancer currently, or they're diagnosed with cancer once you start treatment; and that you do not treat children less than 18 years of age.
This hearing is concluded.
MR. MANSFIELD: Madame President, may I ask a question that may ‑-
MR. KNOX: I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said on the first thing. You said something about --
PRESIDENT RHYNE: Yeah. I said, this Board stands for the public protection and not ‑-
MR. KNOX: I understand that.
PRESIDENT RHYNE: ‑- and not a witch hunt of doctors.
MR. KNOX: You say they were suspended and for how long.
PRESIDENT RHYNE: Stayed immediately.
MS. GODFREY: Stayed immediately.
MR. MANSFIELD: Madame President, I think you said the word summary suspension, did you mean indefinite suspension?
PRESIDENT RHYNE: Indefinite, yes, sir. Indefinite suspension stayed.
MR. KNOX: It was stayed.
MS. GODFREY: No, it was stayed immediately.
PRESIDENT RHYNE: It was stayed immediately.
MS. GODFREY: Stayed. Well ‑-
DR. McCULLOCH: A stayed suspension.
PRESIDENT RHYNE: A stayed suspension.
MR. KNOX: I don't understand.
MR. MANSFIELD: But if I'm right, just for the benefit of the folks here, they asked for clarification on the agreement, Madame President.
Since your panel is making the recommendation, Dr. Buttar's license status will continue to be exactly the same as it was two days ago until such time that the quorum of the Board receives your recommendation and makes a final decision.
PRESIDENT RHYNE: Right. This is our Panel decision ‑- this is the Panel decision that will go to the full Board.
MR. KNOX: Right.
MR. MANSFIELD: Should the ‑- should the quorum of the Board adopt your recommendation, if they do that, then the effect of the order that will go into place at that time would be that as soon as the order is prepared and executed by the president and served on Dr. Buttar, then that discipline would become effective at that time pending any further appeals you might make.
PRESIDENT RHYNE: Correct. All right.
MR. KNOX: Thank you.
PRESIDENT RHYNE: Thank you.
(WHEREUPON, THE HEARING WAS CONCLUDED AT 8:48 P.M.)
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA -732- COUNTY OF WAKE
C E R T I F I C A T E
I, BARBARA H. LAXTON, a Verbatim Reporter and Notary Public, that on April 23 and April 24, 2008, the foregoing hearing of:
RASHID A. BUTTER, D.O.
was called before the NORTH CAROLINA MEDICAL BOARD and held at the time and place aforesaid, and that the record as set forth in the preceding pages is a true and correct transcript of said proceedings to the best of my ability and understanding; that I am not related to any of the parties to this action; that I am not interested in the outcome of this case; that I am not of counsel nor in the employ of any of the parties to this action.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto set my hand, this the 2nd day of June, 2008.
BARBARA H. LAXTON, Notary Public
Notary Public Number: 19970730133
My Commission Expires 4/7/2012
TRANS/STAT VERBATIM & VIDEO REPORTING
Post Office Box 33288
Raleigh, North Carolina 27636
Telephone: 919/828-1895
Facsimile: 919/834-1050
Dr. Buttar Truth Quotes
“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.”
—- Albert Einstein
“Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.”
—- Abraham Lincoln
"All truth passes through 3 phases: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed, and Third, it is accepted as self-evident."
—- Arthur Schopenhauer
"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new."
—- Machiavelli, The Prince