Seattle doctor accused of misconduct surrenders license
Published 1:10 pm Wednesday, May 21, 2014
SEATTLE — A Seattle surgeon accused of giving questionable testimony on proposed legislation has surrendered his Washington state medical license.
Dr. David Heimbach, a former chief of Harborview Medical Center’s burn unit, testified against bills in Washington, Alaska and California that would have restricted or banned the use of chemical flame retardants.
Washington’s medical board filed administrative charges against Heimbach in March, alleging he didn’t disclose that he was a paid consultant for manufacturers of flame retardants while portraying himself as an unbiased burn expert.
Heimbach signed an order this month waiving his right to a disciplinary hearing, and agreed to the board’s findings.
The board said he told lawmakers misleading stories about burn victims whose injuries he claimed resulted from using products that hadn’t been treated with flame retardants.
