State board suspends homeopathic doctor after liposuction death
PHOENIX -- The State Board of Homeopathic Medical Examiners Tuesday suspended the license of a homeopathic doctor involved in a recent death after a liposuction procedure.
The board took the action on an unanimous vote after a 30-minute executive session and about an hour spent questioning Dr. Gary Page.
Page, who was licensed by the board in 2005, was deemed "a clear and present danger to the public."
The Arizona Republic Web site said Page conducted the third liposuction procedure at the Anthem office of Dr. Peter J. Normann that resulted in a death.
The patient, identified only as L.R., died on July 3, after liposuction on her thighs.
A report by the Arizona Medical Board said the procedure was completed at about 6 p.m. Page left the office at about 7, and Normann agreed to stay behind until the patient's ride showed up.
The report went on to say that Normann was unable to rouse the patient from sleep at 9:50 p.m. and called 911 at about 10:10 p.m.
The patient was taken to John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital, where she died.
Page told the Homeopathic Board that he was satisfied the patient was fine when he left.
"She was in a condition where I would have discharged her to her ride," Page said.
Homeopathic doctors are licensed to perform "minor surgeries" but not liposuction procedures, officials said.
Page was denied a medical license in Arizona but was granted a homeopathic license because he was in good standing in Utah, said Chris Springer, executive director of the homeopathic board.
After two patients died, one in December and another in April, Normann was banned from performing more liposuction procedures.
Normann's license was suspended by the Arizona Medical Board on July 10. He will have a formal hearing on the emergency suspension before an administrative judge within 60 days.