https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/97323?xid=nl_mpt_investigative2022-02-23&eun=g1514551d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=InvestigativeMD_022322&utm_term=NL_Gen_Int_InvestigateMD_Active
The hit piece-Malone Harassed Doc Who Reported Him to Medical Board
Robert Malone, MD, who made waves by promulgating a controversial theory on Joe Rogan's podcast earlier this year, was reported to the Maryland state medical board for other alleged misinformation activities recently. Malone countered by stalking and harassing the physician who reported him and filing a complaint to another state medical board about this accuser, according to The Scientist.
After Malone spoke at rallies opposing vaccine mandates in Hawaii, Michael Patmas, MD, a medical director at Maui Health, reported Malone's actions to the Maryland board late last year. He noted they dovetail under Federation of State Medical Board (FSMB) guidelines concerning pandemic misinformation issued over the summer. (Malone, who calls himself a consultant and former pathology and surgery professor and lists a Virginia address on his website, has an active license with the Maryland board.)
Malone then sent cryptic messages to Patmas via his LinkedIn profile, aired his grievances on his popular Twitter feed and Rogan's podcast, and filed a complaint against Patmas with the Hawaii Board. Patmas later received public complaints at his workplace and online.
The Hawaii Board later dropped Malone's complaint.
The Maryland Board also dropped the complaint against Malone. It did not explain why in a letter Malone shared with The Scientist.
The inaction mirrors a national trend. Only 12 of 58 complaints to state boards led to any discipline through the end of 2021, according to FSMB.
Patmas is aghast that the Maryland Board dropped his complaint. "Retaliation for a complaint -- if that's allowed to stand, then other physicians are going to be reluctant to hold one another accountable," he says. "If doctors who do that get their head cut off, well, you're going to let doctors get away with bad things. It's unethical and it's morally wrong."
The Maryland board declined to discuss Malone's investigations, but said a doctor under investigation should not contact, threaten legal action against, or otherwise harass a complainant. Such actions could be grounds for further investigation, if noted in a written submission. Patmas says he did email the board multiple times in December and January, but did not receive a response.
Fact-checkers have repeatedly called Malone's comments false or misleading. His Twitter and LinkedIn accounts were suspended at the end of last year.