Ayres is No Longer A Member of the American Psychiatric Association

On July 8, 2009, when William H. Ayres took the stand, one of the first things his lawyer Doron Weinberg asked him was this:
"Are you a member of the American Psychiatric Association?"

Ayres replied, "Yes, I am."

Weinberg went on to say "What is the nature of your membership? Do you hold a particular position?

Ayres: "It's something like distinguished and very old, but it doesn't say 'very old. 'Distinguished Senior'"

Weinberg: "Distinguished Life Fellow?"

Ayres (acting coy): " I don't know the exact word."

Weinberg: "Distinguished Life Fellow?"

Ayres: "Pardon me?"

Weinberg: "Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Associates?"

Ayres: "Yes, I'm still alive."

_____

For those of us who were in the courtroom that day, listening to that exchange, all we could think was :"Huh? Would the American Psychiatric Association really permit someone whose medical license had been suspended by the Attorney General of California, to continue to be a member of its esteemed organization?

The application to become a dues paying member of the APA has an Ethics section that asks the following questions:

http://www.psych.org/Resources/Membe...plication.aspx

Ethics

1) Has your license to practise medicine ever been revoked or suspended?

2)Are you currently charged with illegal or unethical conduct by a regulatory or law enforcement agency or by a professional society?

Well, it turns out that Ayres didn't alert the APA that his license had been suspended by the Attorney General of California after his arrest - as he was supposed to do.

So, this week, after seeing Ayres state in the court transcript that yes, indeed he was still a member of the APA, we decided to check in with the Ethics Committee of the American Psychiatric Association to set the record straight. And boy, did they set the record straight fast!!!

We received an email from Linda Hughes, Director, Office of Ethics and District Branch and State Association Relations of the American Psychiatric Association, who stated in no uncertain terms that as of this week Ayres is NO LONGER a member of the APA.

Here is what Ms. Hughes then went on to tell us on the phone today: "Ayres is no longer a member. You have to have a license to practise medicine, and if you don't have one, you can't be a member. We are aware that he was arrested two years ago, and that he no longer has a license and can't practise medicine. As of this week, his membership was terminated"

As for his "Distinguished Life Fellow" status, Ms. Hughes said, " He no longer has that title. He is a former Distinguished Life Fellow, but he is not one now. "

In no uncertain terms -- Ms. Hughes made it very clear that her association has no ties whatsoever to Ayres these days. They clearly don't want to be tainted by any connection to him now.