ASAM Takes No Action as Founder, Past President, and Board Member Held Liable for Fraud and Malpractice

The American Society of Addiction Medicine is the organized medical group that has taken unto itself respnsibility for dealing with American drug and alcohol problems. Recently, the founder and just past president of the organization, G. Douglas Talbott, was found liable for fraud, malpractice, and false imprisonment in a suit by a physician forced into Talbott's nationally renown physician assistance program. The ASAM has seen fit not to mention this event or its implications to its members. Stanton wrote this open letter to the American Medical Association asking the AMA for their opinion in this matter.

Open Letter to American Medical Association

Morristown, NJ, January 28, 2000

Dear AMA Ethics Respondent:

I am an attorney (and also a psychologist, with a specialty in addiction — I was on the advisory group for DSM-IV substance use disorders).

I am aware of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, which lists as a goal at its web site to receive recognition as an official medical specialty.

The ASAM publishes at its web site a set of Principles of Medical Ethics. I wrote to ASAM's CEO, Dr. James Callahan, on behalf of a client, about violations I charged were committed by a fellow of ASAM who had treated (or attempted to treat) my client. I received a letter from an attorney, Edward A. Scallet, of the firm LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & McCrae, representing ASAM, saying that the ASAM does not evaluate the conduct of its members in terms of its ethical principles.

My inquiry occurred under the backdrop that the past president of ASAM, G. Douglas Talbott, had been found liable in May, 1999 in a civil suit for malpractice, false imprisonment, and fraud in re his treatment of a physician (Dr. Masters) compelled to attend the Talbott-directed physician assistance program (a prior past president of ASAM, Dr. Anne Geller, testified on behalf of Dr. Masters that he was incorrectly diagnosed alcohol dependent). As far as I am aware, the ASAM has taken no action against Dr. Talbott, nor has it as far as I am aware informed its membership of this suit and its resolution, which may be thought to have important implications for the practice of addiction medicine in this country.

I wrote again inquiring under what conditions the ASAM would investigate conduct by a member. I received another letter (dated January 18, 1999 — but actually sent on that day in the year 2000) from Mr. Scallet, Esq., stating that the ASAM is not obligated or inclined to investigate such a matter (despite its list of ethical principles). The final sentence of this letter was: "The fact that there is no statement in the ASAM By-Laws concerning this matter merely illustrates my point that the basic purpose of ASAM is not to review the credential of practitioners."

I would summarize my concerns in this matter as follows:

1. ASAM is seeking recognition as an official medical specialty for its members;
2. It presents a detailed list of medical ethical principles;
3. ASAM founder, past president, and board member G. Douglas Talbott has apparently violated these principles in significant ways in the eyes of a jury, with no public discussion by ASAM of consequences for his position in the organization or the implications of this court decision for its member practitioners;
4. Beyond this, the ASAM, through its legal representative, disowns any independent responsibility for reviewing the ethical conduct of its members, in the absence of a criminal conviction or prior action by the physician's licensing body (in Dr. Talbott's case, I am not aware of who this body would be), despite its publication of ethical principles.

These events and official position by ASAM seem to me to have implications for the suitability of this organization as a representative body for an official medical specialty. I would like to know the AMA's views on these matters.

Thank you in advance for addressing my questions and concerns.

Yours sincerely,
Stanton Peele, Ph.D., Esq.

(copy: James F. Callahan)

Further reading:

• In the Belly of the American Society of Addiction Medicine Beast
• Threats and Indoctrination at Talbott Recovery Campus. Reactions to the ASAM/Talbott Trial