Waterville physician suspended from practice over COVID-19 misinformation

File photo Dr. Paul Gosselin is forbidden from practicing medicine until Dec. 18, pending an adjudicatory hearing.

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By Staff

A Waterville physician is temporarily forbidden from practicing medicine after a state licensing board found he spread misinformation about COVID-19 and inappropriately signed letters exempting patients from pandemic safety requirements.

The Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure suspended the medical license of Dr. Paul Gosselin until Dec. 18, pending further board action at an adjudicatory hearing, according to a state notice.

After reviewing multiple exemption letters and reports about information he had disseminated, the board found Gosselin engaged in fraud or deceit, incompetence and unprofessional conduct. The notice, dated Nov. 19, did not disclose details of Gosselin’s alleged actions. COVID-19 “exemption letters” are typically a form or correspondence completed by a medical provider to excuse an individual from a vaccination requirement.

The board ordered Gosselin to immediately cease practicing medicine, including any prescription writing or physician supervision of other health care providers.

Gosselin is an osteopathic physician who operates a practice called Patriots Health, at 325D Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville. He graduated from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford and was board-certified in 1998, according to the Patriots Health website. However, the American Osteopathic Association, which provides the certification, does not list Gosselin as currently holding that credential.

Gosselin received his medical license from the Maine board in 1999. In 2002, the board disciplined him for unprofessional conduct, citing incidents in which he posed as a physician assistant in order to obtain a prescription drug for himself and in which he responded to an urgent medical call after drinking alcoholic beverages.

In 2014, according to board documents, Gosselin received a 90-day license suspension for a number of violations, including substance abuse that was likely to endanger patients. After violating probation requirements from the board, he was again suspended in 2017 for one year.

Gosselin and his attorney, Ron Jenkins of Portland, did not immediately respond to inquiries from Mainebiz.