������Ƶ

A complaint filed against the state health director for Maui County for supporting controversial Covid-19 treatments was dropped this week.

No legal action against Dr. Lorrin Pang will be taken, according to the Regulated Industries Complaints Office’s and a spokeswoman for the state agency.

Pang had defended the right of doctors to prescribe ivermectin, a drug typically used in livestock to eliminate parasitic worms, and hydrochloroquine, an antimalarial medicine.

The FDA determined that neither nor are effective for the treatment or prevention of Covid-19 in people.

Following Pang’s public remarks in support of the disputed treatments and his co-founding of the Pono Coalition for Informed Consent, the Hawaii Medical Board filed a complaint last August against the doctor who has served as the head of the Maui District Health Office for more than two decades.

The Regulated Industries Complaints Office within the Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs was charged with investigating the complaint. Had RICO substantiated it, the agency could have then pursued a settlement or a contested-case hearing. Pang could have faced fines and a range of disciplinary action including losing his medical license.

“Based on RICO’s investigation, there was insufficient evidence of a licensing law violation to proceed with formal action before the Hawaii Medical Board.  We cannot comment further on these matters,” said April Rogers, spokeswoman for the Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs.

Pang could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. on Monday he wanted to thank all those who supported him during the investigation.

“I did want to give a statement to all the people who supported me in this time of crisis,” the doctor told the television station. “It’s been going on about seven months. From all over, the immediate community, nationwide, even international people.”