State revokes license of psychiatrist James Whitton surrenders his license on allegations of sexual impropriety

June 10, 2009

Psychiatrist James Whitton Lowe surrendered his medical license to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.  This surrender was deemed by the state as equivalent to a revocation.  The Board had summarily suspended Lowe’s license in March 2009, following an investigation of complaints filed with the Board by some of Lowe’s former patients, alleging sexual impropriety, unprofessional conduct and illegitimate prescribing practices.  The Board then filed its own administrative complaint alleging that information and documents obtained during its investigation of former patient complaints revealed that Lowe violated sexual boundaries with a number of former patients and prescribed controlled substances in an illegitimate manner to individuals whom he was not providing medical or therapeutic treatment.  The Board further alleged that Lowe deliberately obstructed the Board’s investigation of his conduct and was not fully forthcoming with information relating to the investigation, thereby precluding the Board from taking action sooner to protect the public and Lowe’s patients.  In addition to surrendering his license, he is also required to reimburse the Board $5,000 to offset the cost of the Board’s investigation.

(Stipulations and Agreement for Voluntary Surrender of Medical License, In the Matter of James Whitton Lowe, M.D., Certification No. 020882, Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, June 10, 2009.)