A panel of the Montana Medical Board unanimously voted on February 2, 2024, to revoke the medical license of Dr. Thomas Weiner, a former cancer doctor in Helena. This decision follows serious accusations that Weiner prescribed unnecessary treatments and caused harm to patients under his care. The board’s adjudication panel found that Weiner violated professional conduct rules, leading to a permanent prohibition on his ability to practice medicine in Montana.
The ruling stemmed from the board’s investigation into Weiner’s treatment of seven patients, including one who died from complications related to chemotherapy despite not having a cancer diagnosis. Another patient remained under Weiner’s care for several years and received opioid prescriptions without a confirmed cancer diagnosis. Jennifer Stallkamp, legal counsel for the state licensing board, noted during the meeting that Weiner does not intend to seek licensure in Montana again.
Stallkamp clarified that while Weiner disputes some allegations, he agrees that the board holds sufficient evidence to support its findings. This agreement means he will no longer practice medicine in Montana and has surrendered his license.
The revocation comes less than a year after the board renewed Weiner’s license for a two-year term, a decision that frustrated former patients who had raised concerns about his medical practices. The hospital where he worked, St. Peter’s Health, terminated Weiner in 2020 after identifying significant issues in his patient care. Reports indicated that patients received treatments that were not clinically indicated, and there were failures to comply with prescribing laws.
Throughout his two decades as Helena’s primary oncologist, Weiner garnered a loyal patient base. Many community members supported him, even placing signs in their yards that read, “WE STAND WITH DR. TOM WEINER.” Following his termination, Weiner filed a lawsuit against the hospital, which he ultimately lost. In August 2024, St. Peter’s agreed to pay a settlement of $11 million to the federal government concerning billing practices associated with Weiner’s case.
The circumstances surrounding Weiner’s medical conduct drew national attention after an in-depth investigation by ProPublica in December 2024. The report detailed a troubling pattern of patient deaths linked to Weiner’s treatment decisions. Despite complaints, he had previously managed to avoid significant repercussions for years, largely due to the revenue generated by his services for the hospital.
In light of the ProPublica investigation, the Montana Department of Justice initiated a criminal probe into Weiner’s practices, though no charges have been filed to date. Notably, the state licensing board had reinstated Weiner’s ability to practice and prescribe medications in February 2024, a decision that left many former patients disheartened.
During the recent board hearing, Stallkamp presented detailed accounts of substandard care related to the seven patients, highlighting specific failures in Weiner’s treatment protocols. In one case, a patient known as Patient 1 was treated with chemotherapy despite not having a confirmed cancer diagnosis. This patient, who matched the profile of local resident Scot Warwick, ultimately died from chemotherapy-related toxicity.
Warwick’s widow, Lisa Warwick, expressed relief at the board’s decision, stating, “I think on some level it does bring some justice, maybe a little bit of justice, to the victims and their families.” She was unaware of the investigation into her husband’s death and welcomed the outcome, noting it prevents Weiner from practicing medicine again.
The Montana Department of Labor and Industry, which oversees medical licensing, did not respond to inquiries about the timeline of its investigation into Weiner. Reports indicate that St. Peter’s Health provided the medical board with over 100,000 pages of records related to Weiner’s care in 2021, which may have initiated further scrutiny.
Following the board’s decision, the future of Weiner’s medical career remains uncertain, particularly outside Montana, as the board did not specify whether his license revocation affects his ability to practice in other states.