Administrative Complaint Filed Against Dr. Strampel for Public Health Code Violations

Allegations include incompetence, negligence and aiding Nassar’s violation of the Public Health Code

Media Contact: LARA Communications 517-373-9280
Email: mediainfo@michigan.gov

May 16, 2018 – Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office on behalf of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has filed an administrative complaint against Dr. William Strampel of Dewitt.

“The alleged license violations are serious and must be treated as such,” said Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette. “I encourage a thorough and complete review of all evidence by the Board of Osteopathic Medicine as they determine the future of Strampel’s medical license.”

The complaint alleges that Strampel violated the Public Health Code while serving as the Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University (MSU). The violations stem from Strampel’s actions toward female students and failure to appropriately supervise Larry Nassar and report his Public Health Code violations. 

The violations include: aiding or abetting Nassar in a violation of the Public Health Code, failure to report Nassar’s violations, negligent supervision, lack of good moral character, and incompetence.

Specifically, the complaint alleges:  

• Strampel made inappropriate sexual-in-nature comments to female students.
• Strampel’s work computer contained approximately 50 photos of nude, or partially nude women, sex toys and pornography. Many photos appeared to be of female MSU students and appeared to be taken by the women in the photos.
• Strampel failed to enforce protocols intended to protect female patients following allegations against Nassar at the MSU Sports Medicine Clinic.

“The role of LARA and all licensed professionals is to help protect the public,” said LARA Director Shelly Edgerton. “When licensees violate this trust the department and professional boards are charged with taking action.”

Once an administrative complaint is issued, the licensee must file a response within 30 days. At that time, the licensee can either seek a compliance conference, or request a hearing with the Michigan Administrative Hearing System. Failing to respond within 30 days is considered an admission of the alleged conduct and results in the complaint being forwarded to the disciplinary subcommittee (DSC) of the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery for determination of an appropriate sanction.

The ultimate determination of whether the licensee violated the Public Health Code is made by the DSC. The DSC may impose the following sanctions if it determines that a violation has occurred: issue a fine, suspend the license, revoke the license, place the licensee on probation with terms, and/or place a limitation on the licensee.

The administrative complaint is strictly an action on Strampel’s medical license in the State of Michigan. In addition to the administrative complaint, Strampel is facing a felony charge of misconduct in office, a misdemeanor charge of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree and two misdemeanor charges of willful neglect of duty. 

For more information of LARA’s regulation of health professions in Michigan, please go to michigan.gov/healthlicense.

For more information about LARA, please visit www.michigan.gov/lara

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