KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A state board last week suspended the medical license of an East Tennessee physician it calls a "serial sexual predator" for his conduct with several women patients, records show.
The Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners acted March 16 against Dr. Randolph M. Lowry, who worked at a drug treatment facility from 2017 to 2021 and most recently has been at the Ben Atchley Tennessee State Veterans' Home in Knoxville.
Lowry hasn't been charged with a crime. Efforts to reach him were unsuccessful.
Lowry has had a medical license in Tennessee since 1979, according to the state Department of Health.
An order of summary suspension from the Board of Medical Examiners lays out the state's case against Lowry.
Three women said Lowry had made unwanted sexual advances or even tried to use access to opiates as a way to get sex, records states.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation took part in the review, prompted by a complaint to the Office of Investigations.
According to the investigation, starting in 2018 a woman identified as "GV" received treatment from Lowry for her opiate addiction at Wellness North/Behavioral Health Group of Knoxville. She was receiving suboxone, which is designed to reduce a patient's dependence on opioids.
"Patient GV reported that during one visit, (Lowry) closed and locked the exam room door, kissed patient GV's neck and breast, stuck his hand down her shirt and exposed her breast, which he then licked and kissed," state records state.
He also put his hand under her clothes and touched her genitals, records state. He also exposed his penis and started to masturbate, records state.
"The sexual contact between (Lowry) and patient GV continued at subsequent visits. During these subsequent visits, (Lowry) forced patient GV to perform oral sex on him," records state.
According to findings of fact by the state, "...(Lowry) expressed to patient GV that if she did not allow him to do what he wanted to her or if she told anyone, he would not continue to prescribe her suboxone,"
Her last visit was in May 2021.
State investigators allege the doctor acted inappropriately toward two other patients.
A patient named "HB" told investigators that on at least two occasions during office visits, the doctor unbuttoned his shirt in front of her. Once, he asked her for oral sex, which she said she refused to do.
Lowry "threatened to terminate patient HB's treatment," records state. She chose to stop seeing him.
A TBI agent found a third patient named "AW" who had been a patient of Lowry's for about a year.
She said he treated her "professionally" initially but then later began asking about her sex life. He told her he could give her sexual satisfaction if her boyfriend could not, records state.
During one office visit, he became erect and "began rubbing his penis through his khaki pants," records state. The patient told investigators she reported him to Wellness North staff "but did not receive a response," records state.
Lowry's conduct, supported by the patients' statements, constitutes cause for emergency action to protect the public's health, according to the suspension documents.
"Based on the information, interviews and statements provided to the Board by the state, (Lowry) has been shown to be a serial sexual predator. Respondent worked with a vulnerable population, those with opiate addictions, and used his position and power as a medical doctor to obtain sexual favors from those vulnerable patients. (Lowry) currently works with another vulnerable population at a skilled nursing facility," records state.
Lowry's suspension became effective immediately last week and was to remain in effect "until the conclusion of the contested case hearing against the Respondent or until otherwise ordered by the Board."
Lowry has the option of requesting a hearing before the board.
