California is considering expanding investigations by the state medical board to combat the disturbing trend of fake doctors. Called Operation Safe Medicine, the medical board’s investigative unit was established in 2000, but it disbanded three years later because of budget issues. In 2009, however, the investigative board reopened due to public cries about unlicensed persons practicing as providers. Operation Safe Medicine sent 61 cases to prosecutors for review for the fiscal year ending in June, up from 31 cases the previous year. Since 2009, Operation Safe Medicine’s investigations have resulted in six felony convictions and 18 misdemeanor convictions, California Watch noted. “It is especially noteworthy to see the 203 percent increase in cases referred for criminal action due in large part to the re-establishment of the Operations Safe Medicine Unit,” the state report explained about the numbers from 2006 to 2012.
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