Physician assistant charged under new medical professional sexual abuse law

A physician assistant in Oregon is the first person charged under a new state law that makes it a crime to touch a patient for sexual gratification and telling them that the contact served a legitimate medical purpose.

Alvin Prasad, a physician assistant at Oregon Health & Science, is accused of sexually abusing a female patient by touching her genitalia during an exam in July. Although a grand jury originally indicted him for second- and third-degree sexual abuse, he was re-indicted for sexual abuse by fraudulent representation under a new felony sex crime law, which went into effect in June.

Lawmakers in Oregon passed legislation for the law after another physician was accused of sexual misconduct during exams by more than 100 former patients. Although the state medical board revoked his license, a grand jury didn’t seek criminal charges against him partly due to shortcomings in state law. The new law makes it a crime to lie to a patient and touch them for sexual gratification. Other states, such as California, already have similar laws.

Source: KPIC