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Former patient sues Cedar Rapids doctor for sex exploitation, negligence

Gazette - 3/22/2023

Mar. 22—CEDAR RAPIDS — A Linn County woman is suing her former Cedar Rapids doctor for sexual exploitation and negligence over a two-year period in which he prescribed her drugs for anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorder, panic disorder and migraines.

The lawsuit, filed last week, contends Dr. Scott Piper of Piper Family Medicine "knew or had reason to know" that the patient, identified as "Jane Doe" in the suit, was significantly impaired in her ability to withhold consent of sexual conduct, and he failed to appropriately evaluate and treat her mental health conditions and substance use disorders.

The woman filed the lawsuit under the pseudonym Jane Doe to preserve her right to privacy because of the nature of the allegations, according to the suit.

Tim Semelroth, a Cedar Rapids attorney, said filing a client under John/Jane Doe is allowed according to Iowa law. An attorney also would file a protected information disclosure form.

Semelroth said the defendant can file a motion requiring the plaintiff to proceed under their actual name.

"The Iowa Supreme Court has in the past used a balancing test, both between the parties and the public's interest in the identity disclosure, in determining whether a party may proceed anonymously in a case," Semelroth added.

No records or complaints were found on the IowaBoard of Medicine website for Piper.

Piper was Doe's primary doctor and had treated her since 2013, according to the lawsuit. He treated her in 2013 for a sore throat, giving her a steroid and opioid. He later treated her in November 2013, May and June 2014, December 2015 and February 2016 for anxiety, panic disorder and major depression. Piper prescribed various antidepressant, antipsychotic and anti-anxiety medications during those visits, the suit states.

The lawsuit includes many Facebook messages between the two from 2020 through Feb. 16, 2022. Some of the messages show Piper questioning why Doe's mother is accusing him of giving Doe prescriptions for sex. Other messages indicate the two had sex.

In one of the messages, he says his "friendship has been one of admiration as you try to overcome your old life." He also said he had no interest in her "romantically," in case "this is something that you have worried about."

According to the lawsuit, Piper and Doe had sex between Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, 2021 at her residence. Later, court documents state Piper told her, in a Facebook message exchange, that he wasn't giving her more medications and that he thought it was better for her recovery if she received mental health care through Abbe Center or wherever her probation officer preferred.

Doe, in messages, appeared to be upset and accused Piper of having sex with other patients. She also accused him of using medication and other methods to control her, but he denied it.

On Jan. 19, 2022, Piper, in a Facebook message, told Doe he got "a line of credit converted to a loan" and hoped she could pay it. He mentioned her owing him money from past rent, according to the suit.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com

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