Defendant accused of Improper Prescription Practices

In a significant legal development, the Ohio Court of Appeals has upheld a decision to revoke the license of a physician assistant, following allegations of improper prescription practices. On February 19, 2026, Rufus Frank Lowman filed an appeal against the State Medical Board of Ohio in Ross County Common Pleas Court after his license was revoked due to accusations of prescribing controlled substances without proper authorization.

The case dates back to May 8, 2024, when the State Medical Board issued a notice to Lowman, accusing him of violating specific sections of the Ohio Revised Code by prescribing Schedule II controlled substances without necessary supervision or approval. The board argued that his actions posed “a danger of immediate and serious harm to the public.” The accusations covered a period from September 23, 2022, to March 14, 2024. Lowman contended that he believed his actions were within legal bounds under an exception effective from October 3, 2023. This exception allows physician assistants to prescribe certain medications if operating within a behavioral health practice with appropriate supervisory agreements.

Lowman’s defense centered on his claim that his practice primarily involved mental health and substance abuse treatment and that he had a supervisory agreement with Dr. Russell Lee-Wood. However, during the hearing process, it was revealed that Lowman did not provide sufficient evidence to support these claims. The hearing examiner noted that there was no substantial proof showing that Lowman’s clinic operated as a behavioral health practice or employed Dr. Lee-Wood directly.

Despite Lowman’s objections and arguments about the applicability of the statutory exception for prescriptions issued after its enactment date, both the hearing examiner and subsequently the trial court found against him. The court concluded that reliable evidence supported the board’s decision and emphasized that many prescriptions were issued before the new law took effect.

Ultimately, Lowman’s appeal was dismissed by Judge Peter B. Abele along with Judges Hess and Wilkin concurring in judgment and opinion. They determined there was no abuse of discretion by the trial court in affirming the board’s decision for permanent revocation and imposition of a $5,000 fine against Lowman.

The attorneys involved in this case included Karin L. Coble representing Rufus Frank Lowman and Dave Yost along with D. Grant Wilson representing the State Medical Board of Ohio. The case ID is Ross County Case No. 25CA17.