Recent News

Office Closure

June 17, 2022 63 63

The State Medical Board office will be closed on Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth. We will reopen on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

ODH Identifies Probable Monkeypox Case

June 14, 2022 128 128

Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, announced on Monday, June 13 that ODH has identified a probable case of monkeypox infection in an adult male Ohio resident based on preliminary testing at the ODH laboratory. Confirmatory monkeypox testing at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is pending.

“What I want to emphasize strongly is that monkeypox does not spread easily between people, and so the risk to Ohioans generally is very low,” Dr. Vanderhoff said.

ODH is working closely with the CDC, relevant local boards of health, and the patient’s health care providers to ensure appropriate care for the patient.

The individual remains isolated and is following recommendations from public health officials and medical providers.

Dr. Vanderhoff said that unlike COVID-19, which can be spread easily from person to person through the air over several feet of space, monkeypox spreads between people primarily through direct contact with infectious sores, scabs, or body fluids. It also can be spread by respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact.

Monkeypox can spread during intimate contact between people, including during sex, as well as activities like kissing, cuddling, or touching parts of the body with monkeypox sores.

ODH strongly recommends that anyone who is experiencing symptoms of an unexplained rash (lesions on any part of the body) contact a healthcare provider as soon as possible. People who are feeling ill should stay home.

Persons who only have flu-like symptoms without rash should get tested for COVID-19. Ill persons should wear a mask when seeking care or if they are not able to isolate from others.

Monkeypox is a viral illness that typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes and progresses to a rash. Cases recently identified across the country appear less likely to have the initial symptoms of flu-like illness or lymph node swelling and the rash, which may look like pimples or blisters, may also stay contained to a particular part of the body.

It is important to note that anyone can get monkeypox, even though most cases associated with the investigation in the United States have occurred among men who have sex with men.

Update: Infant Formula Alternatives

June 9, 2022 120 120

Due to the recent Abbott infant formula recall and related formula shortages, the ODH WIC Program is temporarily allowing several flexibilities, including more formula options (brands and container sizes) for standard milk and soy-based infant formulas. Additionally, the Ohio WIC Program is temporarily allowing the issuance of store brand hypoallergenic infant formulas.

Click here to view a letter from the Interim Director of the Ohio WIC Program. You can also access the Ohio WIC Prescribed Formula and Food Request Form.

Medical Board Votes on Qualifying Conditions

June 8, 2022 113 113

On Wednesday, June 8 the State Medical Board of Ohio voted to reject the petitions for autism spectrum disorder and opioid use disorder. These conditions will not be added to Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Control Program at this time.

The board could review these conditions at a later date if additional studies or evidence are brought forth in the petition process. The next window for petitions will be November 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.

Agendas Posted for June Meetings

June 6, 2022 111 111

The State Medical Board of Ohio has public meetings scheduled this week.

Tuesday, June 7

The Respiratory Care Advisory Council is meeting via GoToWebinar at 2:00 p.m. The agenda and registration link can be found here.

Wednesday, June 8

The following meetings will be shared on the board's YouTube channel. The agendas can be found here.

9:00 a.m. Finance Committee

10:00 a.m. Board Meeting

Office Closure

May 27, 2022 721 721

The State Medical Board office will be closed on Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

Agendas Posted for May Meetings

May 9, 2022 834 834

The State Medical Board of Ohio has public meetings scheduled this week.

Tuesday, May 10

The Massage Therapy Advisory Council is meeting via GoToWebinar at 2:00 p.m. The agenda and registration link can be found here.

Wednesday, May 11

The following meeting agendas can be found here.

8:30 a.m. Medical Marijuana Committee - This meeting will be shared via GoToWebinar. Click here for the registration link.

10:00 a.m. Board Meeting - This meeting will be shared on the board's YouTube channel.

Physician Assistant Policy Committee Canceled

May 5, 2022 822 822

The Physician Assistant Policy Committee scheduled for today at 2.p.m. has been canceled.

Prescription Fraud Advisory-Promethazine with Codeine

April 27, 2022 921 921

The Board of Pharmacy has received reports of fraudulent electronic prescriptions for promethazine with codeine throughout the state in the name of a Columbus-based physician assistant.

To help combat these fraudulent prescriptions, it is strongly recommended that pharmacies verify promethazine/codeine prescriptions with the practitioner’s office by means other than the phone numbers provided on the prescriptions. Additionally, pharmacies and/or pharmacists should report all incidents of prescription fraud to the Board of Pharmacy and local authorities. Reports to the Board of Pharmacy may be filed online by visiting: www.pharmacy.ohio.gov/complaint.

April 2022 Enews

April 26, 2022 869 869

The April issue of the Medical Board's eNews is available:

Get to Know SMBO
seeking comments on proposed rules
CDC health advisory
executive order banning new opioids
COVID-19 vaccine boosters communications toolkit
Physician Assistant Advisory Committee and Massage Therapy Advisory Council seeking consumer members
Well-being checkup and referral engagement service
death certificates
ICD-10 code

Recent News

Important Information

The State Medical Board office will be closed on Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth. We will reopen on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

“What I want to emphasize strongly is that monkeypox does not spread easily between people, and so the risk to Ohioans generally is very low,” Dr. Vanderhoff said.

ODH is working closely with the CDC, relevant local boards of health, and the patient’s health care providers to ensure appropriate care for the patient.

The individual remains isolated and is following recommendations from public health officials and medical providers.

Monkeypox can spread during intimate contact between people, including during sex, as well as activities like kissing, cuddling, or touching parts of the body with monkeypox sores.

ODH strongly recommends that anyone who is experiencing symptoms of an unexplained rash (lesions on any part of the body) contact a healthcare provider as soon as possible. People who are feeling ill should stay home.

Persons who only have flu-like symptoms without rash should get tested for COVID-19. Ill persons should wear a mask when seeking care or if they are not able to isolate from others.

It is important to note that anyone can get monkeypox, even though most cases associated with the investigation in the United States have occurred among men who have sex with men.

Click here to view a letter from the Interim Director of the Ohio WIC Program. You can also access the Ohio WIC Prescribed Formula and Food Request Form.

On Wednesday, June 8 the State Medical Board of Ohio voted to reject the petitions for autism spectrum disorder and opioid use disorder. These conditions will not be added to Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Control Program at this time.

The board could review these conditions at a later date if additional studies or evidence are brought forth in the petition process. The next window for petitions will be November 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.

The State Medical Board of Ohio has public meetings scheduled this week.

Tuesday, June 7

The Respiratory Care Advisory Council is meeting via GoToWebinar at 2:00 p.m. The agenda and registration link can be found here.

Wednesday, June 8

The following meetings will be shared on the board's YouTube channel. The agendas can be found here.

9:00 a.m. Finance Committee

10:00 a.m. Board Meeting

The State Medical Board office will be closed on Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

The State Medical Board of Ohio has public meetings scheduled this week.

Tuesday, May 10

The Massage Therapy Advisory Council is meeting via GoToWebinar at 2:00 p.m. The agenda and registration link can be found here.

Wednesday, May 11

The following meeting agendas can be found here.

8:30 a.m. Medical Marijuana Committee - This meeting will be shared via GoToWebinar. Click here for the registration link.

10:00 a.m. Board Meeting - This meeting will be shared on the board's YouTube channel.

The Physician Assistant Policy Committee scheduled for today at 2.p.m. has been canceled.

The Board of Pharmacy has received reports of fraudulent electronic prescriptions for promethazine with codeine throughout the state in the name of a Columbus-based physician assistant.

State Medical Board of Ohio

30 East Broad Street, 3rd Floor

Columbus, OH 43215

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