Florida health officials issued an emergency order to restrict the license of Li Voepel, MD, an interventional pain management physician, after three of her patients contracted a “very rare strain” of hepatitis C, Florida Today reported March 22.
According to the report, Florida health officials believe that the cases may have been caused by unsterilized instruments and equipment used during procedures, but no specific source of infection has been identified from the practice. However, if Dr. Voepel’s office is the source, more people may have been exposed, as the three cases were patients that had procedures there within almost a yearlong timeframe.
Dr. Voepel told Florida Today that she is still actively licensed and is continuing to see patients but is pausing all procedures for now. “We’re fully cooperating with the department of health,” Dr. Voepel told the publication.
Her attorney, Geoffrey Smith, told Florida Today that Dr. Voepel is “fully transparent and cooperating with everything that’s been requested of her from the Florida Department of Health.”
“We do not have sufficient information from the department of health to evaluate the accuracy of some of the allegations contained in these emergency orders,” Mr. Smith added. “We’ve requested that information but they have not yet provided that information.”
Dr. Voepel has practiced in the state for more than 20 years and has had no prior issues with the department of health, Mr. Smith said.