California Health and Safety Code

§ 109275

HSC § 109275 Effective Jan 1, 2007Div. 104 · Part 4 · Ch. 4 · Art. 1

Statute text

(a)Upon a diagnosis of breast cancer, the physician and surgeon, meaning the primary provider who initially referred the patient for the screening or biopsy or, if different, the provider who has made the diagnosis of breast cancer and initially consulted with the patient about treatment, shall give the patient the written summary described in subdivision (c) and required by this section and shall note on the patient’s chart that he or she has given the patient the written summary. The physician and surgeon may choose to provide the summary prior to the performance of a screening or biopsy for breast cancer upon a patient’s request or at the discretion of the physician and surgeon in appropriate cases, including, but not limited to, instances when a patient has demonstrated risk factors, has a family history of breast cancer, or is otherwise susceptible.

(b)The failure of a physician and surgeon to inform a patient, by means of a standardized written summary developed by the department on the recommendation of the Cancer Advisory Council in accordance with subdivision (c), in layperson’s language and in a language understood by the patient, of alternative efficacious methods of treatment that may be medically viable, including surgical, radiological, or chemotherapeutic treatments or combinations thereof, when the patient is being treated for any form of breast cancer, constitutes unprofessional conduct within the meaning of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(c)(1) A standardized written summary in layperson’s language and in a language understood by the patient shall be developed by the department with the recommendations of the Cancer Advisory Council, and shall be printed and made available by the Medical Board of California to physicians and surgeons, for the purposes of informing the patient of the advantages, disadvantages, risks, and descriptions of the procedures with regard to medically viable and efficacious alternative methods of treatment for breast cancer as required by subdivision (a).

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Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 485, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.