Dr. Ryan Cole has been reappointed to the board of Central District Health, Idaho’s largest public health authority, despite his prominent skepticism of COVID vaccines and a history of regulatory actions against his medical license.
The Ada County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on June 16 to retain Cole for another six-year term, which runs through June 2031. Central District Health, which oversees public health operations across Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley counties, is governed by representatives from each county’s commissioners. Three of the four counties voted to reappoint Cole; Valley County had not yet taken action at the time of the Ada County vote.
Cole’s Background and Regulatory History
Cole is a pathologist who has become a vocal critic of COVID-19 vaccine policy. His first appointment to the board came in 2021. In recent years, his medical practice and licensure have drawn scrutiny. Washington state regulators restricted his medical license after determining he had shared what they characterized as COVID misinformation and improperly treated patients with ivermectin. The Idaho Board of Medicine subsequently reached an agreement with Cole requiring him to comply with the Washington disciplinary order.
A medical malpractice lawsuit against Cole was dismissed under a confidential legal settlement. Court records show that six physicians disagreed with a cancer diagnosis Cole had rendered in that case, and two independent pathologists called the diagnosis “reckless.”
Cole allowed his Idaho medical license to expire in 2024, then reinstated it. His current license is valid through May 2030. He sold his laboratory, Cole Diagnostics, following public controversy, though the company remains registered with Idaho’s Secretary of State’s Office. In 2024, Cole was named head of medical and scientific affairs at the Independent Medical Alliance, an organization that promotes alternative COVID treatments.
Board Chair’s Support
Greg Ferch, a chiropractor who chairs the Central District Health board, recommended Cole’s reappointment. Ferch stated that Cole possesses strong knowledge of human physiology and is “a huge proponent of informed consent.”
When questioned about Cole’s appointment, Rod Beck, one of the commissioners who first appointed Cole to the board in 2021, declined to engage with the concern. “I’m not even going to respond to that because all I’m worried about is: Is the Central District Health functioning properly?” Beck said.
Vaccine Policy Context
Cole’s appointment reflects a broader shift in Idaho’s regional health governance regarding vaccine policy. In 2024, the Southwest Idaho Health District board voted to stop offering COVID vaccines following public testimony that included skeptical remarks about the vaccines. Cole’s prominence in promoting medical freedom and informed-consent messaging has made him a visible figure in that conversation.
Central District Health continues to serve as the primary public health infrastructure for the four-county region, which includes the greater Boise metropolitan area. The district’s board decisions affect vaccination programs, disease surveillance, and other public health initiatives across a populous part of Idaho, particularly as the state has emerged as a leader in active bird flu cases, with dairy herds accounting for much of the nation’s spread in recent months.