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Notorious Abortionist Surrenders His License

Dr. Rand Had Injured or Killed Several Women

BY ROSA ORTEGA

Phillip Rand, the 84-year-old abortionist who worked in five Southern California abortion mills — all of them in heavily Latino areas — had a history of malpractice and license discipline. He will hurt no more women and kill no more babies. In early March, he surrendered his license to practice medicine.

A hearing to revoke Rand's license had been scheduled for March 14, 2005, but realizing that he would have his license taken away, he opted for surrendering it first. Local pro-lifers who have been following the case rejoiced that the 84-year-old abortionist will finally stop aborting. Yet questions remain as to why California's medical board allowed a physician with such a history of incompetence to keep his license until the age of 84.

Where was the state medical board in 1978 when Rand delayed an emergency cesarean section and caused permanent brain damage to Terry Battle? A jury found Rand negligent and awarded some $4 million to the family. But Rand had dropped his malpractice insurance in the 1970s and the award money would have had to come from Rand who owned land and other investments worth millions.

A few months after the court awarded the $4 million, Rand declared bankruptcy and Battle's family received nothing to help care for her. They lived in a one-bedroom apartment with public assistance. Rand continued to live in a pricey downtown San Diego high-rise.

In 1999, Rand admitted to negligence and was ordered to take remedial training courses. However, Rand later told the medical board that he had taken over 100 hours of medical classes but could only document one hour. In an accusation filed in October 2003, instead of having his license revoked, Rand was charged with gross negligence, repeated negligence, incompetence, dishonest acts, and prescribing controlled substances to an addict. Even then, the California medical board allowed him to practice.

On September 15, 2004, deputy attorney general Steven Zeigen asking the court for an interim order to suspend Rand's license. Zeigen's court documents describe a dangerous doctor: "(Rand) is 84 years old. He continues to place unsuspecting females at risk, because of his diminished medical skills and his reckless disregard for their safety."

The case of "Angela," a young Hispanic woman from Santa Ana illustrates one of the low moments in Rand's career. The state medical board appointed Dr. Joseph Kennedy to review Angela's case. Kennedy labeled Rand's actions in the case as "barbaric." The octogenarian doctor performed the abortion on Angela without adequate analgesia or anesthesia. After the procedure, he abandoned her to untrained personnel while she was bleeding heavily. When paramedics came, they found Angela in the so-called "recovery area," a mattress laid on the floor of the office. Angela's blood pressure was 80/40 and her pulse was 160. She was transported to Saint Joseph's hospital in Orange County for emergency surgery to save her life.

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