IDAHO, USA — This story originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
The Central District Board of Health may need to replace a controversial member under Idaho law.
Dr. Ryan Cole was appointed in 2021 to the physician position on the public health district board, which under Idaho law is required to be filled by someone licensed to practice medicine in Idaho. As of June 30, Cole’s physician license has lapsed, the state online professional license database shows.
Health district staff were unaware of the license staff until an Idaho Press inquiry on Tuesday, spokesperson Maria Ortega confirmed. Central District Board of Health Chair Elt Hasbrouck said he learned of it from the district’s director.
“I feel like Dr. Cole should have let us know ... but that didn’t happen,” Hasbrouck said.
Cole did not return a request for comment for this story.
The independent public health district is governed by a seven-member board that includes members appointed by county commissioners for each of the district’s four counties: Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley counties. The entity is the primary outlet for public health services in the area.
The pathologist’s appointment in 2021 had drawn complaints and criticism, including from the Idaho Medical Association, because of Cole’s history of spreading disinformation about the COVID-19 virus and vaccine, the Idaho Press reported.
“Dr. Cole has publicly made numerous unfounded and dangerous claims about the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 that do not align with the Idaho standard of care,” the association wrote in a statement at the time.
Because Cole is an Ada County appointee, it will be up to the Ada County commissioners to decide if he will be removed and replaced, Hasbrouck said. Ada County Board of Commissioners Chair Rod Beck has been notified, Hasbrouck said.
Beck could not be reached by press time.
The Central District board met Aug. 16 for a regular meeting that Cole attended, but there was no mention of his license status at that meeting.
Cole could still renew his license. The typical renewal window had passed, which put his license out of compliance with Idaho law, but it could be lapsed for up to five years before he would have to start over with a new license application, according to a spokesman for the Division of Occupational & Professional Licenses Bob McLaughlin.
It’s possible for Cole to begin the process of renewing his license by talking to a licensing specialist on the phone or doing it online. There are no public records of renewal requests, McLaughlin said.
Cole also had a practice in Washington state, and regulators there in January restricted his license after concluding that he knowingly shared disinformation about the pandemic and vaccines and he prescribed ivermectin, which goes against medical and scientific evidence, according to the order from the state Department of Health. Under the restrictions, he cannot practice primary care or prescribe medications in the state for five years. He may still continue to practice pathology.
Even if Cole does not renew his license, Ada County Commissioners may choose to keep him on the board and remove and replace another Ada County member. The other Ada-nominated members are chiropractor Greg Ferch and family nurse practitioner Jane Young.
Ada’s commissioners will be responsible for nominating a potential new member, and then county commissioners from the other counties would vote whether to accept the choice.
Hasbrouck didn’t know how long the process might take, but estimated it could be a few weeks. The health district isn’t scheduled to meet again until Oct. 18.
This story originally appeared in the Idaho Press.