Back in 2021, when COVID-19 vaccinations became available, many schools and businesses required their employees and students to get one. Unfortunately, this led to a rise in misinformation online and people turning to the black market and other illegal options to obtain invalid waivers or fake vaccination cards.

When a medical professional is responsible for creating invalid waivers or fake vaccination cards, it is considered forgery and is punishable by law. If you or someone you know has been accused of creating - or purchasing - fake vaccination cards or COVID-19 waivers, you need a strong defense. This is especially true if you are a medical professional. Call the Lento Law Firm today.

Suspicion Forces Medical Board to Mount Investigation

In the middle of the pandemic, a news channel in Tennessee came across COVID-19 vaccine waiver cards being sold online with the signature, medical license number, and name of Dr. Robert Coble. In 2021, Coble was working for a company called MedChoice that offered handwritten medical waivers that would be personally reviewed and signed by a licensed physician.

The news channel discovered that getting a waiver was simple: select the type of vaccine you didn't want to get from a list of options and the name of the patient who wants the waiver. To test the validity of the practice, they selected an option for Charlie, a dog, to receive a COVID-19 waiver because of his fear of needles. They paid $139, and in a few days, the waiver arrived.

After exposing Coble, the Medical Board in Tennessee launched an investigation into the matter. During the course of their investigation, they learned that not only was Coble writing and signing the waivers, but he was also offering his services to people living in other states, like Maine and Washington. But he only has a license to practice medicine in Tennessee.

Coble was fined $1,000 and agreed to surrender his medical license rather than have the Board revoke it.

How an Attorney Can Help

Under the Tennessee Medical Board, physicians are strictly forbidden from committing unprofessional, dishonorable, or unethical conduct, and from making false statements or representations or being guilty of fraud or deceit in their medical practice. No matter the accusation against you, it is incredibly important to hire an attorney to defend you. Once Dr. Coble learned of the accusations against him - which happened when the news channel showed up at his house in 2021 - he should have hired an attorney to negotiate with the Board on his behalf. This step could have greatly mitigated the issue.

At the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team, our attorneys have years of experience helping medical professionals defend themselves against conduct accusations. They will make sure you are given every opportunity to defend yourself, guaranteeing you the best possible outcome for your case. Call 888-535-3686 today for help, or schedule a consultation online.