Practicing Medicine Without a License is a Crime

A staffmember at a West Hollywood plastic surgery clinic was caught in the act of practicing medicine without a license. After getting complaints from the State Medical Board, investigators fromthe agency starting watching a clinic at Sunset medical Tower on Sunset Boulevard very closely. When the Board inspectors went to the facility what they found was scarey. As staff member at the doctor's office was not only diagnosing patients' medical conditions but was administering laser treatment to patients.

According the the local media, the owners of the clinic are manny and Pie Calayan, neither of whom are medical doctors licensed by the State of California. When investigators entered the facility they were told the owners were out of the country.

Further investigation revealed that the Calayans advertise on the internet where they represent that they are trained in the United States and have gone to medical school in the Philipines. It appears as though the Calayans were catering their "practice" to medical tourists who come to the United States to seek out plastic surgery.

Practicing medicine in California requires training and licensing by the State Medical Board. Not having such a license is a crime. Falsely advertising onthe internet is also punishable as a crime. I suspect the Calayans will be facing multiple felony charges including fraud, grand theft and violations of the Business and Professions Code involving licensure. They will likely face a maximum of several years in prison, tens of thousands in fines and restitution to their past victims. If I were them I would contact a good lawyer -- one with a license to practice law in California.

The State Medical Board cautions anyone seeking the services of a medical doctor to "do their homework" before having even minor medical treatment. Check out any doctors on the State Board's website.

I suggest the same is true for lawyers. Before hiring a lawyer, check the lawyer out on the State Bar website: www.calbar.org

If you have questions about this or any other criminal law matter contact me:

www.4criminaldefense.com or email me at vallenslaw@yahoo.com or call me: (818) 783-5700