November 2, 2024

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Health's Like Heaven.

5 things to know about Dr. Ryan Cole, latest Central District Health board appointee

Ada County commissioners appointed Garden City pathologist Dr. Ryan Cole as the newest member of the Central District Health Board of Health on Tuesday, a controversial pick because of his views regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hundreds of people wrote letters in support of his appointment. Hundreds of others cautioned commissioners against the decision, including many from the local medical community.

For his part, Cole, 53, has described himself as apolitical. He is a registered Republican and lives in Boise.

While commissioners in Elmore, Boise and Valley counties still need to ratify his appointment, his selection has been a lightning rod in the Treasure Valley medical community. Here are five things to know about him:

1. He has an extensive medical background

Cole has worked around medicine for more than 30 years, according to a resume sent to commissioners. He attended the U.S. Air Force Academy before graduating from Brigham Young University in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in premedicine zoology. He then attended medical school at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he graduated in 1997.

He also was a resident and then a fellow of surgical pathology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. His professional career has largely been spent in the Treasure Valley. He worked at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center before working as the CEO and medical director of Cole Diagnostics since 2004. He has also worked as a consultant at the Boise Veteran’s Affairs Hospital, a spokesperson for the College of American Pathologists and various other consulting positions.

He has a license to practice medicine in 11 states, according to his resume. He said he’s bilingual in English and Spanish.

2. His lab processed thousands of COVID-19 antibody tests

Cole operates Cole Diagnostics, a medical laboratory in Garden City, which he said employs about 80 people.

At the start of the pandemic, his lab ordered thousands of COVID-19 antibody tests, with the goal of seeing how widespread the virus was among those without any visible symptoms.

While some have lauded his testing efforts, others have raised concerns that he’s profiting from testing as he publicly encourages alternative treatments to the vaccine. Others wrote to commissioners that the health board could award future testing contracts to Cole Diagnostics, which could be a conflict of interest.

Commissioner Kendra Kenyon said profiting off the pandemic while downplaying accepted treatments “flies in the face of ethics.”

Cole told the Statesman in an Aug. 9 interview the cost of the tests nearly ran him out of business.

“I did everything I could at extreme personal financial risk of potentially going bankrupt,” he said.

3. He’s a fierce critic of COVID-19 vaccines

Cole has become well-known for his public comments about COVID-19, especially in regard to the vaccine.

Some of his speeches have gone viral, including a talk he gave at an event hosted by Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin during the 2021 legislative session. He’s also participated in numerous podcasts and interviews sharing his critiques on vaccines, many of which can be viewed on his Facebook page.

He also testified as an expert witness against mandatory vaccines at the New Hampshire Legislature earlier this year.

However, while his views have caught on in the COVID-19 truther movement, he’s also come under fire from members of the medical community and other officials for spreading misinformation.

At an event titled the White Coat Summit held in San Antonio, Texas in July, Cole described the vaccine as “fake,” a “clot shot” and “needle rape.” He’s also promoted a debunked claim that thousands have died after getting vaccinated.

In the past, Cole has pointed to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System as his source. However, those running the system have said its data can’t be used to determine if the vaccine actually caused someone to die.

Many doctors in Idaho, including the Idaho Medical Association, had written to commissioners with concerns about Cole’s statements and the impact they could have on vaccination rates. Cole has insinuated that doctors or institutions opposing him are motivated to do so for monetary gain.

4. He’s advocated for alternative treatments to COVID-19

In his interview with commissioners, Cole said living a healthy lifestyle can help someone resist the worst effects of COVID-19.

In particular, he’s said that Vitamin D supplements can be an effective way to prevent COVID-19, more so than wearing masks or social distancing. Studies on vitamin D’s effect on the virus have largely been inconsistent with their findings, and some have warned against overemphasizing the benefits of vitamin supplements.

He’s also advocated the use of ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug, to treat COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization have cautioned people against taking the drug for COVID-19, especially types produced for animals, which contain larger doses and can be dangerous for humans to take.

Also, he has said hydroxychloroquine could be an effective treatment, despite FDA warnings that it could cause heart rhythm problems, as well as kidney and liver problems.

5. He opposes mask and vaccine mandates

Much of the conversation surrounding the health board position focused on the potential for mask and vaccine mandates, as coronavirus cases in Idaho continue to surge.

Cole told commissioners on Aug. 9 that he’s opposed to all mandates and that people should be able to reach their own conclusions on how best to protect themselves from the virus.

“You should be able to be a responsible citizen but a free citizen to make the health decisions that are best for you,” he said. “I think forcing things engenders distrust.”

He told the Statesman after his interview that he would be more supportive of wearing masks if he thought they worked.

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