Profession
Lawsuit dropped after North Carolina revamps medical board appointments
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 10, 2007
A physician and three patients dropped a lawsuit that claimed the North Carolina Medical Society had too much control over the state medical board.
The move came Aug. 21, two weeks after the governor signed a law that changes who makes nominations to the medical board. The measure takes effect Jan. 1.
On Feb. 28, family physician John Faulkner, MD, and three patients sued the North Carolina Medical Board, Gov. Michael Easley, the state and the medical society.
The lawsuit asked that the process of the medical society nominating seven of the 12 board members to the governor be declared unconstitutional. The society and medical board said the nomination process was fair.
In March, state legislators introduced a bill to change the practice. The medical society supported the proposal.
The new law calls for a nine-member review panel, which will include six physicians, to make recommendations of potential board members to the governor.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/09/10/prbf0910.htm.
