Washington Physician Assistant's License Suspended Over COVID Actions

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The Washington Medical Commission suspended the license of Washougal pediatric health care provider Scott C. Miller as of Tuesday.

The suspension was the result of an investigation into more than a dozen complaints against Miller, a physician assistant who runs Miller Family Pediatrics, for prescribing medications without seeing patients, interfering with the care of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and engaging in a hostile and threatening public campaign against hospitals and doctors.

According to the commission's findings, Miller also "began a public campaign touting the use of ivermectin in treating coronavirus disease," despite no reliable clinical evidence showing the drug is effective in treating COVID-19. The commission said it was taking immediate action to address an immediate danger to public health.

Miller has publicly railed against mask and vaccine mandates. During a May 10 Camas School Board meeting, he spoke publicly while refusing to comply with the board's mask requirements while promoting ivermectin and vitamin therapy to treat COVID-19, calling the unproven remedies "a cure" for the coronavirus. He also posted a video on Clark County Today touting the benefits of the drug.

On Nov. 23, 2020, the state's COVID-19 violations center received an anonymous complaint reporting Miller for promoting anti-mask rhetoric on social media sites. Miller gloated "about how Miller Family Pediatrics ... doesn't use masks" and said he "has to 'teach' clients about how worthless masks are," the complainant stated. "He talked about the stupidity of people taking the pandemic seriously" ... "then shared a barrage of antiquated or false information regarding COVID."

Of the complaints received, many claimed Miller has prescribed a lengthy list of supplements including vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, melatonin, aspirin, quercetin and selenium, acetylcysteine, and l-glutathione, as well as the drugs ivermectin, dexamethasone and azithromycin to treat virus symptoms. In at least one complaint, Miller had not examined the patient and only spoke with the person over the phone.



The state also said Miller repeatedly called doctors and nurses at hospitals to demand patients be given ivermectin. During one call, the state said Miller identified himself as a patient's brother. After recommending the patient be given a specific antibiotic and antihistamine, Miller reportedly then identified himself correctly.

The Washington Medical Commission also claimed Miller lied on his 2013 license application when he failed to disclose an investigation in another state.

In 2012, the California Physician Assistant Board cited Miller, who was then practicing in that state, for providing medical care without a supervising physician's authorization, writing drug orders for controlled substances without examining patients and failing to document patients' medical records. However, according to state records, Miller claims he did provide that information during the application process.

Miller has 20 days to appeal the suspension.

The popular medical provider is finding support from the community and patients. Camas resident Joshua Brock created an online crowdsourcing GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Miller's legal fund. To date, it has raised more than $46,000.

Miller was unavailable for comment for this story.