California Medical Board accuses transplant surgeon in death of potential donor

The Medical Board of California is seeking to revoke or suspend the license of a San Francisco transplant surgeon accused of administering substantial quantities of pain medication to a prospective organ donor.

Dr. Hootan Roozrokh also faces trial in October on a felony charge of dependent adult abuse in the death of 25-year-old Ruben Navarro, who suffered from a wasting neurological condition and was comatose.

Roozrokh was the lead transplant physician who had gone to a San Luis Obispo hospital in 2006 to remove Navarro's organs upon his death, according to the medical board's complaint.

The complaint, dated May 16, accused Roozrokh of being in the operating room before Navarro's death and of "actively monitoring the patient's vital signs for a determination of death."

Under state law, transplant doctors cannot direct the care of organ donors before they are declared dead.