Ohio Medical Board Failed to Act on Evidence of Abuse by OSU Doctor, Says Governor

The state’s medical officials knew Dr. Richard Strauss was sexually abusing male students for decades but did nothing, Gov. Mike DeWine said Friday.

The Ohio Medical Board had credible evidence of sexual misconduct by Ohio State University doctor Richard Strauss in 1996 but did not inform law enforcement, Gov. Mike DeWine said Friday.

According to a review conducted by a working group assembled by DeWine, Strauss had been “performing inappropriate genital exams on male students for years.” Despite the overwhelming evidence, the review found, the board made no attempts to revoke the university team doctor's medical license or contact police. Strauss worked as a team doctor and a physician in Ohio State’s Student Health Services during his nearly 20-year tenure at the school before retiring in 1998. An independent investigation of Strauss’ conduct released earlier this year found at least 177 people faced abuse as early as 1979. He committed suicide in 2005.

DeWine launched the investigation in May to review the State Medical Board's records from a 1996 investigation after several students reported sexual misconduct at the health center.The Governor is now calling on the Medical Board to conduct a review of all sexual assault allegations against other doctors over the last 25 years.

“I shudder to think there are other predator physicians still practicing in Ohio or in other places in our country,” DeWine said in a Friday press conference to announce the review's findings.