Alternative medicine is accepted and glorified in Oregon

Come to Oregon

That’s the advice offered by an HSI member named Alisia after reading the e-Alert “The Good Doctor” (6/30/05).

The doctor referred to in that title is a skilled osteopath who has given me exceptional medical care for several years. But no more. Last month the Maryland Board of Physicians (MBP) revoked the license of Binyamin C. Rothstein, D.O., even though no patient complaints had been filed against him. His misdeed: He successfully used healing techniques that didn’t fit within the very narrow definition of mainstream medicine.

In other words, he would rather heal than medicate. (You can read the entire e-Alert at this link: SCOTTINSERT LINK TO E-ALERT HERE)

Alicia believes Dr. Rothstein would be welcomed in Oregon. She writes: “tell this good doctor to come to Oregon, where alternative medicine is accepted and somewhat glorified.”

I’ll pass that suggestion on to Dr. Rothstein but I doubt he’ll be moving cross-country anytime soon. Right now he’s busy with the sad task of closing up his office, while also preparing to fight the absurdly unjust decision of the MBP. To that end, Dr. Rothstein is arranging a face-to-face meeting with Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, Jr., to appeal his case.

In “The Good Doctor” I listed the address of Dr. Rothstein’s attorney for anyone who might want to join me in making a donation to the doctor’s legal fund. To my great surprise (and gratitude!) almost $1,000 was mailed in within the first three days. And Dr. Rothstein was even more surprised than I was because he had no idea that I was making such an appeal to e-Alert readers.

Now we have one more opportunity to help.

Dr. Rothstein hopes to present letters of support to Governor Ehrlich when they meet. So this week I’m going to write a letter to the governor, imploring him to reverse the MBP’s revocation of Dr. Rothstein’s license. If you have a spare moment to write a brief note to Governor Ehrlich, that would be tremendously helpful as well. Simply ask the governor to review Dr. Rothstein’s case, bearing in mind that the doctor effectively employed common complementary and alternative healing techniques, and that none of the doctor’s patients have ever filed a complaint against him.

Letters of support should be addressed to the Governor but should be mailed to Dr. Rothstein directly:

Binyamin C. Rothstein
6511 Western Run Dr.
Baltimore, MD 21215

While this one case is obviously close to my heart (and my back and neck), it is an opportunity for all of us to stand up for our right to choose whether we want to be healed or simply overdosed. I prefer the former.