Since the start of the pandemic,
more than 150 complaints have
been filed against Washington
doctors for COVID violations.
So far only one has been
disciplined last month,
seeking 5 investigators
exposed to doctor writing.
COVID vaccine exemptions with no
exam or medical questions asked.
Now, Chris Engles reveals why
state regulators may be failing
to uncover the problem doctors.
There is a lot of.
Fear there's a lot of anxiety.
There's a huge push by the government
and the media to keep people scared
and a lot of times misinformed.
Dr Anna Alperin didn't hide her opinions
when we interviewed her in November,
so to me this is a scam. Demic
this is what she's not so open about.
We sent journalists on four separate
visits to her Ellensburg clinic.
It was 200 bucks for the visit.
Undercover cameras recorded her
signing COVID vaccine and face mask.
Exemption forms without
conducting a medical exam. She
didn't ask me any questions we didn't
go over my medical history or any
medical condition. I might have.
Patients submit these medical
waivers to employers to avoid state
vaccine and mask requirements.
A process meant for the small percentage of
people with legitimate medical conditions.
We obtained this exemption to excuse
the city employee from wearing
a mask through public records
requests to the city of Ellensburg.
It was signed June 3rd, 2020.
Indicating Dr.
Alpern has been writing exemptions
for almost a year and a half
former employees at a clinic told
us she signed hundreds more.
Since then.
It's the an abuse of the system and
really it's it's almost unforgivable.
Dr Colleen Accolti is a nationally
recognized expert based at
the University of Washington.
Basically a lot of what my job
entails is researching the anti
vaccination movement on social media.
Much of her research at the UW's
Center for an informed public is
focused on COVID misinformation.
Like headlines and fake news
stories that are spread online.
But she says misinformation
from a local doctor like Doctor
Alperin is an even greater threat.
It's almost immeasurable.
The power that comes from listening
to a local doctor because this
magic that someone in your
community is not someone for off
it makes it seem more tangible.
How many doctors are there?
You can even if you have 20 doctors
in the state they're signing it,
they can do real harm to
the health of Washington.
Our investigation shows the
state is failing to identify the
doctors who pose that. Threat.
In Ellensburg we spot checked a handful of
public agencies and found 25 exemptions
written by Doctor Alperin alone,
but the state isn't compiling
data on which doctors are signing
exemptions even at public agencies,
so it can't monitor those doctors
writing excessive numbers of waivers.
They feel like they're able to get
away with it. There is no stopping it.
Are you running a vaccine exemption mill
here? No where you're taking payments
and signing exemptions with no
questions asked. Absolutely not.
Records show at least a dozen
COVID related complaints filed
against Dr Alperin she's under
investigation, but still practicing
the thing about medical
boards is they are reactive.
Professor Ross Silverman is a medical
ethics expert who says Washington
medical boards, like many other states,
rely on complaints usually filed by
patients to identify problem doctors.
They don't do preventive regulation,
they tend to be reactive to
complaints that they've received,
but even then there are
few results in Washington.
At least 158 COVID related complaints
have been filed against doctors and
physicians assistants in our state,
according to our review of State
Department of Health Records.
Scott Miller,
a physician's assistant in Washougal,
is the only one whose license
has been suspended.
Just one provider disciplined
nearly two years into the pandemic.
We have to drive this pandemic.
Into the ground.
The office of Governor Jay Insley,
who ordered vaccine and mass mandates,
isn't calling for more scrutiny.
We think the policies in place now
for identifying fraud are appropriate
under the circumstances which are
to get as many people vaccinated as
possible in an emergency situation,
a spokesperson said in a statement.
I think vaccine misinformation and
COVID misinformation is here to say.
Critics say states like ours
aren't doing enough. Our
government and our resources really
need to go and try to tackle.
It indicates that we.
You need to start putting more
scrutiny on it so that we can
put faith back into the system.
Both the State Department of Health,
which investigates doctors and
the Washington Medical Board,
which hands down discipline,
turned down multiple
interview requests from US.
They believe there's only a
small percentage of doctors
that will do this kind of thing,
but it's really not a small
matter when dangerous health
misinformation is coming from,
of all places.
Your doctor's office,
Chris. I'm sure the Department of
Health doesn't want a doctor to
get away with something like this.
I mean, what kind of explanation do
they have right now? Yeah, Greg,
I spoke to state.
Representative Monica Stonier,
who sits on the House Health Care Committee.
She says she's disturbed by what
our investigations uncovered,
but she has pointed out an important
thing that health departments
are really overwhelmed right now.
With all the facets of the
COVID pandemic public education
inspections and investigations,
and on and on.
But she does plan on talking about
the weaknesses we've uncovered
in our stories with her fellow
committee members to see if
there is something that can be
done. All right. Lot more to come
on this. I'm sure Chris thank you.