The California Senate has rejected legislation this week that would have required doctors to tell their patients that they are on probation with the state medical board.
It's an issue NBC 7 Investigates reported on in October when Consumers Union, the advocacy group that publishes Consumer Reports, shared a nine-page petition outlining approximately 500 doctors who were on probation at that time. Their offenses included gross negligence, substance abuse, inappropriate prescribing, sexual misconduct and other license violations.
Democratic Sen. Jerry Hill of San Mateo said Thursday that patients have a right to know if their doctor has been sanctioned by a state licensing panel for substance abuse, negligence, sexual misconduct or other allegations.
But several of Hill's fellow Democrats say SB1033 would punish health care providers who haven't had a chance to defend themselves.
The measure would have applied to doctors, naturopaths, acupuncturists, podiatrists and chiropractors.
Consumers Union said California would have been the first state to require such comprehensive disclosures.
