Officials reinstate doctor’s license

MOSES LAKE – State officials have reinstated the license of a Moses Lake doctor, but he remains accused of overprescribing narcotics and other restricted drugs and is barred from prescribing medicine.

Dr. David T. Earl, 46, also is prohibited from supervising physician assistants under provisions of the reinstatement that was granted Dec. 6, said Erin Obenland, a state Health Department disciplinary manager.

Earl’s suspension was announced Sept. 24 after the department accused him of contributing to the death of four patients since 2001, improperly medicating five others, ignoring evidence of addiction and drug abuse and placing patients at an increased risk, according to state documents.

He was also accused of improperly providing the painkiller Norco to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent.