AAPS APPLAUDS THE RESIGNATION OF TMB PRESIDENT ROBERTA

[Guest guest]

Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS)

1601 N. Tucson Blvd. Suite 9

Tucson, AZ 85716

www.aapsonline.org

December 12, 2008

Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., Executive Director, (520)

323-3110

For immediate release

AAPS APPLAUDS THE RESIGNATION OF TMB PRESIDENT ROBERTA

KALAFUT.

MARI ROBINSON SHOULD RESIGN NEXT.

a Kalafut, D.O., just announced her resignation as

President of the Texas Medical Board, possibly bringing to

a close the worst abuses of power by the TMB against good

physicians. Kalafut's tenure was marked by unjust

disciplinary actions, particularly against her competitors,

and stonewalling by the TMB and Governor Rick .

" We applaud Kalafut's resignation, " said AAPS Executive

Director Jane Orient. " AAPS has received far more

complaints from good physicians in Texas about their

medical board than from any other state. "

Kalafut's husband, Ed Brandecker, M.D., has been deposed in

AAPS's lawsuit against the TMB, which asserts that Kalafut

and the TMB have been repeatedly violating constitutional

rights.

Fewer than 10% of Texas physicians are the subject of a

complaint each year, but nearly all of Kalafut's

competitors have been victimized by complaints. In a letter

to State Senator Janek, Dr. Norman Dozier wrote,

" I am the only doctor left in a 150 mile radius that is

involved in Pain Management in any form or fashion that has

not been sanctioned by TMB..., but God knows she [Kalafut]

has been trying. "

Under Kalafut's reign, the Chairman of its Disciplinary

Process Review Committee was being paid both by Blue Cross

and in malpractice cases by plaintiff's attorneys. Kalafut

claimed not to know about the extent of the conflict of

interest until a few months before he resigned.

While Kalafut has resigned as President, attorney Mari

, J.D., still hangs on as Interim Executive

Director. has been the focus of many criticisms,

and she should resign immediately also. She instructed

Kalafut not to answer a question at a legislative hearing

in 2007 concerning her role in the filing of a complaint.

" Perhaps Governor has been too busy campaigning for

reelection to find a physician to serve as Executive

Director for the TMB, " Jane Orient said. " Texans deserve

better. "

For more information AAPS's lawsuit, see:

http://www.aapsonline.org/tmb.php

NOTE: AAPS is a non-profit, professional association of

physicians in all specialties, dedicated since 1943 to

protection of the patient-physician relationship. It

accepts no corporate or government funding, and its board

members and officers serve without compensation.