CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Physician Assistant Rufus Frank Lowman Jr. is awaiting a decision on whether he will be permitted to practice medicine amidst a backdrop of controversy. The owner of Rose Medical Clinic, located at 14 Health Drive, has been at the center of a firestorm following allegations that he operated an illegal pill mill.
The State Medical Board of Ohio suspended Lowman’s license on May 8, 2024, after accusations emerged that he unlawfully prescribed Schedule II controlled substances to 11 patients between September 2022 and March 14, 2024, without the required supervision or approval, violating state regulations designed to prevent prescription abuse.
A spokesperson for the state medical board informed The Guardian that Lowman’s administrative hearing took place on July 2, 2024, but no decision was reached at the close of the hearing. The Hearing Examiner will prepare a Report & Recommendation (R&R) that includes the basis for the hearing, findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a proposed disciplinary sanction for the board members to consider. Once completed, the R&R will be presented to the full board for a final decision at an upcoming board meeting.
During this period, Lowman’s license will remain suspended. The board is acting on the allegations detailed in its May 8 Notice of Opportunity for Hearing and Summary Suspension. These allegations include illegal prescription writing and serious accusations of sexual abuse involving a minor.
The most disturbing allegations against Lowman come from individuals who once called him family. A female accuser has alleged that Lowman sexually abused her starting when she was just 11 years old in 2008. The abuse reportedly continued over several years in both Florida and Ohio. The Ross County Sheriff’s Office has been investigating these claims since 2015. Despite possessing an audio recording allegedly containing Lowman’s confession to the sexual abuse, no charges were filed.
The Guardian obtained the same audio recording, in which a man purported to be Lowman is heard making disturbing comments, including blaming the child and claiming she initiated the encounters. In the recording, the man says, “She was sexually active at the age of 7. She was jumping people’s bones back before she was bleeding.” He also reportedly admitted to paying the victim to keep quiet about the abuse.
Board meetings occur on the second Wednesday of every month and are open to the public. Agendas, including the respondents’ names, are generally posted no later than the Monday preceding the board meeting at med.ohio.gov. The community and concerned parties will be closely watching for the board’s final decision on Lowman’s license.
For now, Lowman remains suspended from practicing medicine as the board deliberates on the serious allegations against him.