profession
California medical board revokes license of octuplet doctor
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 13, 2011
The reproductive specialist who helped Nadya Suleman conceive octuplets through in vitro fertilization will have his license to practice medicine in California revoked as of July 1. The state's medical board said in a decision made public in June that Michael Kamrava, MD, "did not exercise sound judgment" when he transferred 12 embryos into Suleman.
Dr. Kamrava told the board Suleman promised to reduce the number of embryos if too many implanted successfully. Dr. Kamrava's attorney had argued that probation would be sufficient.
Dr. Kamrava's actions in two other cases sealed his fate, the board said. He transferred seven embryos into a 48-year-old woman in September 2008, five more than recommended by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. An ultrasound for another patient with a history of cancer showed ovarian cysts, but Dr. Kamrava proceeded with the IVF procedure in March 2009 and did not refer her for further testing. The patient later got a second opinion and surgery revealed that she had stage III ovarian cancer.
In the last fiscal year, the Medical Board of California revoked only nine licenses out of 122,000 physicians. By this article's deadline, there was no word on whether Dr. Kamrava would file an appeal.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/06/13/prbf0613.htm.
