Former presidential AIDS adviser loses medical license

A doctor who headed the Presidential Advisory Council on AIDS and HIV during former president Bill Clinton's administration in the 1990s lost his medical license after being arrested for investigation of possessing a controlled substance. R. Scott Hitt's surrender of his license became effective Tuesday. The California medical board barred Hitt from practicing medicine for 60 days earlier this year because of allegations that he had molested two patients at his Beverly Hills practice. The board also revoked his license, but the revocation was stayed and he was placed on seven years of probation that, among other things, required him to obey all laws. On May 10, Hitt was arrested by Los Angeles police for investigation of illegal possession of a controlled substance. The medical board statement did not indicate what the substance was or whether Hitt was ever formally charged. He surrendered his license when board probation investigators contacted him about the new charges, the board said Thursday. The board had accused him of sexual misconduct, gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, incompetence, and dishonest and corrupt acts. Hitt, an AIDS specialist and the first openly gay person to head a presidential advisory committee, acknowledged touching one male patient's genitals in August 2000 and "crossing the boundary" with another patient a month earlier, according to board. Hitt, 44, said his judgment was impaired and he did "things I regret" because he was battling cancer at the time. The cancer is in remission.