The Ohio State Medical Board reinstated the medical license of a doctor who spread conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines, including the false claim that they make people magnetic.
The board voted last month to restore Dr. Sherri Tenpenny’s license after suspending it last year and fining her $3,000. State officials said Tenpenny refused to cooperate with their investigation after the board received 350 complaints about her.
Tenpenny is an osteopathic doctor in Cuyahoga County who’s been licensed in Ohio since 1984. She attracted national attention in 2021 when she testified in favor of legislation to block vaccine requirements and mask mandates. During her remarks, Tenpenny rattled off misinformation about COVID vaccines, including the baseless claim that they can connect to 5G technology.
“I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures all over the internet of people who have had these shots and now they’re magnetized,” Tenpenny said during the hearing. “They can put a key on their forehead, it sticks. They can put spoons and forks all over them and they can stick because now we think that there’s a metal piece to that.”