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Frank Lewis

PDT Staff Writer

A former Adams County Prosecutor has been named Executive Director of the State Medical Board of Ohio. Southern Ohio attorney Aaron E. Haslam was announced as the new director, effective July 1, Thursday by Anita M. Steinbergh, D.O., President of the State Medical Board of Ohio.

“Mr. Haslam comes to us with a wonderful background in the areas of investigation, enforcement and prosecution,” Steinbergh said. “He has an appropriate understanding of the vision and mission of the Board, and is committed to furthering the goals of the Medical Board.”

Since February 2011, Haslam has worked with Attorney General Mike DeWine as a Senior Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Attorney General’s Prescription Drug Abuse Initiative. He also served as Coordinator for Special Prosecutions – Prescription Drug Unit.

Haslam replaces Richard A. Whitehouse, who resigned last year. At the time, no reason was given for the resignation of Whitehouse, a frequent visitor to the Scioto County Drug Task Force meetings. However, according to a story in the Columbus Dispatch, Whitehouse was “ousted,” and there were indications that some Ohio doctors had become uneasy with Whitehouse’s aggressive investigations in the past two years as the state cracked down on “pill mills,” and physicians involved in those types of operations.

“I’m excited about this new opportunity with the Medical Board,” Haslam said. “I would like to thank the members of the Medical Board and Governor Kasich and his staff for their support. I also thank Attorney General Mike DeWine for my prior opportunity and for his support of this new chapter in my career.”

Haslam was in Portsmouth in December of 2011 when DeWine shut down Scioto County’s final pain clinic, taking the count from 11 to zero, following the passage of regulation legislation that made it nearly impossible to operate such a facility.

At a meeting in Portsmouth with White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske in July of 2011, Haslam said, “This shows the federal government is aware of the prescription drug problem in southern Ohio.”

Haslam obtained his law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and is admitted to practice law in Ohio and the United States District Courts of Ohio.

Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 252, or at flewis@civitasmedia.com. For breaking news, follow Frank on Twitter @FrankLewisPDT.