Assembly member Jamie Allard threatens Providence for refusing to treat COVID-19 patient with Ivermectin

In a bizarre series of events, Anchorage Assembly member Jamie Allard and her supporters are now engaged in a fierce battle with Providence Hospital to compel the hospital to give Ivermectin to a comatose or near-comatose COVID-19 patient named William Topel.

Some time late last week, Allard was given advance directive powers over Topel, allowing the Assembly member to make unilateral healthcare decisions regarding Topel’s care. A source at Providence told the Landmine that for days, Allard and her supporters have been relentlessly harassing nurses, doctors, and hospital administrators, compromising their ability to provide medical care for other patients.

According to the Landmine’s source, on October 9, a small group including Terrence Shanigan, who serves as the legislative affairs director for Mayor Dave Bronson, was repeatedly turned away while attempting to gain entry to Providence. The group claimed that they were attempting to visit “a friend,” who the Landmine’s source presumes to be Topel. The group was then caught by security attempting to sneak into a back door.

William Topel admitted to Providence with COVID-19

Some time last week, Providence Hospital admitted William Topel for treatment for COVID-19. Topel is a well-known Anchorage conservative and opponent of COVID-19 public health measures, including what he termed “so-called COVID-19 vaccination.” Topel attended at least one of last week’s chaotic Anchorage Assembly meetings, which were packed with almost entirely unmasked individuals protesting a proposed mask mandate. Shortly after attending the meeting, Topel was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of COVID-19.

Late last week, Topel gave advance directive powers to Assembly member Jamie Allard. Advance directive powers (which are often referred to as “power of attorney,” though that term is a slight misnomer) give Allard sole discretion to make healthcare decisions for Topel in the event of his incapacitation.

Following his admission to the hospital, Topel’s condition quickly deteriorated. Topel is now widely reported by his supporters online to be in a comatose or near-comatose state.

Allard demands that Providence provide Ivermectin

According to a source at Providence, Allard and her supporters have barraged Providence nurses, doctors, administrators, and even the HR director with demands that Topel be given Ivermectin or transferred to a hospital that will give him the anti-parasitic drug. The source claims that Allard is “harassing all of our people and we have to stop dealing with our patients because we’re dealing with her.”

In the conservative Facebook group HAC & SAC, members posted numerous messages about Topel, one of which requested that members contact Providence to demand that Topel be given Ivermectin.

Providence has repeatedly stated that they do not give Ivermectin to COVID-19 patients. In an October 12 email, Providence Hospital Sr Manager of External Communication Mikal Canfield told the Landmine, “Based on a preponderance of evidence and guidelines from multiple national authorities, Providence Alaska Medical Center does not use Ivermectin to treat COVID-19.”

Internal memo from Providence regarding treatment with Ivermectin

Merck, the maker of Ivermectin, has publicly stated that use of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19 is not supported by evidence and that Ivermectin should not be used to treat the disease.

The Landmine obtained a Monday afternoon email that appears to have been sent from Jamie Allard to Ella Goss, the Chief Executive at Providence Alaska Medical Center. In the email, Allard castigates Providence for not treating Topel with Ivermectin and vitamins, and blames Providence’s refusal to pursue these treatments for deterioration in Topel’s condition. Allard closes by stating that “If you do not comply, the family will proceed with legal action and get a court order.”

The Landmine reached out to Stacey Stone, an attorney at the well-known Anchorage law firm Holmes Weddle & Barcott who is CC’d in Allard’s email. Stone responded that she is traveling and does not represent anyone involved in the situation.

In a since-deleted Facebook post made later on Monday night, Allard stated that she has power of attorney over Topel, and claimed that Topel “has been asking since Thurday when he was admitted to have life saving meds and Providence Hospital has ignored Bills requests.” Allard stated that she hired Eagle River attorney Mario L. Bird to move for a court injunction against Providence, and included a letter from Bird to the hospital.

The Landmine contacted Canfield, the Sr Manager of External Communication at Providence, to ask whether the hospital had any comment on the actions of Allard and her supporters. Canfield replied that the hospital cannot comment due to state and federal privacy laws.

“They are killing people there!”

Claims that Alaska hospitals are intentionally withholding proven treatments and killing their patients have proliferated in right-wing, anti-mandate online communities such as Save Anchorage, Open Alaska, and Must Read Alaska. Commenters regularly accuse staff at Providence and other Alaska hospitals of murdering those under their care and deliberately withholding Ivermectin, which many believe to be a “miracle cure.”

Screenshots of comments from Must Read Alaska and Open Alaska

On September 23, Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer, told reporters that “Our public health team has literally been under attack.” Zink said that medical workers had been sent threatening letters, spit on, and harassed for attempting to address the state’s COVID-19 crisis.

The Landmine’s source at Providence expressed concern that if Topel dies, Allard will publicly blame Providence for his death and further inflame an already-volatile situation for healthcare workers.

Bronson Legislative Affairs Director and others attempt to sneak into Providence

According to the Landmine’s source at Providence, on October 9, a small group including Dustin Darden and Terrence Shanigan, who serves as Legislative Affairs Director for Mayor Dave Bronson, were caught attempting to sneak into Providence. The group initially attempted to gain access to the building from main entrances in order to visit “a friend,” the source said. After being turned away, they attempted to enter the hospital through a back door in the garden area.

After these attempts were rebuffed, the source said, the group approached the ER ambulance bay. There, they were confronted by security and told to leave the premises. APD were contacted but a police report was not filed.

The Landmine has contacted Providence, APD, and Mayor Bronson’s Communications Director, Corey Allen Young, to request any information regarding Shanigan’s alleged attempt to sneak into Providence. Responses were not received in time for publication.

Multiple requests to Allard for comment did not receive a response.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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WTF
2 years ago

What the hell is going on in Anchorage? This is absolute deluded madness. How is there no check on this kind of behavior from Allard and Bronson? I cannot even start to wrap my mind around it.

RecallBronson
2 years ago
Reply to  WTF

It is time to begin the recall petition on Bronson. He has abdicated his authority as mayor to a failed candidate for mayor (Demboski) and his continued affront to the Municipality Charter with regards to unlawful termination(s), his nepotism awards of no-bid contracts and appointments of unqualified persons and his on the record statements that he isn’t running the municipality. It is time to removed this error thrust on the citizens by a least than .5 % election margin.

Mark
2 years ago
Reply to  RecallBronson

No recall just a different point of view that the lefts way is the only way. No clear way to treat COVID. The medical industry cannot get on the same page. So nobody has the right answer for treatment. Your just a unset voter who does not like the other way. Get over it your no body special.

That Guy
2 years ago
Reply to  RecallBronson

The guy Bronson ran against is a douche. He’s been on that worthless assembly for a while and hasn’t done a damn thing. The douche is a wannabe career politician who has ran for more offices than I can remember. I’m sticking with Bronson. Mask mandates make no sense. You go to a restaurant, wear your mask to the table but take it off at the table, Covid is only transmissible when you walk I suppose? Idiot act at its finest.

Sweeney
2 years ago
Reply to  That Guy

Good luck

People R Stoopid
2 years ago
Reply to  RecallBronson

They got what they voted for, and it will be to their detriment, but since up is down, bad is good, in right wing world, they’ll love every minute of it.

Angel
2 years ago
Reply to  WTF

After reading this I am so glad I am no where near Anchorage. People in the Assembly are whackadoodles.

Big Daddy
2 years ago
Reply to  WTF

It is two vs the entire Marxist assembly. They are heros if you ask me. Patriots.

Last edited 2 years ago by Big Daddy
Elstun Lauesen
2 years ago
Reply to  Big Daddy

The Assembly is not Marxist. But the Mayor is a fascist. Read the definition. A 60 day mask mandate is not taking away anybody’s rights and liberties. Only spoiled morons who are so free that they don’t know the difference between a public health order and the Holocaust could be so foolish. Ivermectin as a coronavirus cure is a meme spread by QAnon and you fools are falling for it!

Mark
2 years ago
Reply to  Elstun Lauesen

No it is taking my rights away to do as I feel is right for my health. I would say you can’t brush your teeth for 60 days to stop the spread of covid and will fine you if caught violating the mandate. CNN is not your best way to learn the truth about COVID.

Ho Lee Fok
2 years ago
Reply to  Elstun Lauesen

With all due respect, IM has been used by numerous countries around the world for treatment of Covid. A simple Google search would help you from looking like a complete idiot. Youre welcome.

People R Stoopid
2 years ago
Reply to  Ho Lee Fok

A simple Google search will show you study after study that ivermectin is only useful for treating viruses with simple DNA strands, and multiple studies have proven it’s not effective for treatment of COVID. But hey, those are only facts.

Honst Otter
2 years ago
Reply to  WTF

Should people who oppose ivermectin be charged, convicted and executed for criminal negligence? Most people say yes.

Sweeney
2 years ago
Reply to  Honst Otter

Foolish

People R Stoopid
2 years ago
Reply to  Honst Otter

Most people think the J in Donald J Trump also stands for Jenius.

AnchorageMan
2 years ago

I like that they blanked out the domain to Jamie’s email address but left it in the main body.

She is a ghoul and deserves whatever spam she gets. I’m really against spam, but that’s the least she deserves.

Last edited 2 years ago by AnchorageMan
Areal Bilk
2 years ago

Who is Dr Heverling & why is she prescribing Ivermectin???

slipstream
2 years ago
Reply to  Areal Bilk

Because they have worms?

Martin
2 years ago
Reply to  That Guy

Good article, but hardly an endorsement of ivermectin.

Honst Otter
2 years ago
Reply to  Areal Bilk

Because Ivermectin has been shown statistically significant benfit in treating preventing covid infections in dozens of high quality scientific studies. Anyone opposing ivermectin still should be convicted of criminal negligence in the death of thousands of people.

Irene Richter
2 years ago
Reply to  Honst Otter

Please provide links to these high quality sources – FYI they do not exist. You are being fed a bunch of sound bites and falling down the rabbit hole. Ivermectin treats parasites and will not have any affect on a virus.

Ahak
2 years ago
Reply to  Irene Richter

Spoken like a true liberal science nerd Irene. With your fancy peer-reviewed medical journals and your randomized controlled trials. I get my medical research from highest quality conservative bloggers and Facebook comments.

Areal Bilk
2 years ago
Reply to  Paxson Woelber

Mario Bird’s letter to Providence claimed that Heverling ”requested the treatment”. One of them is lying. My guess is Mario is currently preparing for that ethics complaint that has probably already been filled with the Alaska bar association.

Lynn Willis
2 years ago

Is this Jamie Allard desperate to displace her guilt and direct responsibility onto others for creating and sustaining a “super spreader’ event or is she simply ‘milking” this poor man’s situation for political gain? She and Bronson (and to a degree Kennedy) are directly responsible for this tragedy with their filibuster of the hearing and defiant display of not wearing masks. Enough! Now the time has arrived to play “hardball” using the law to PUT IN JAIL those who trespass, engage in terroristic threats or cause serious breach of the peace. That is the only way to defuse a ever… Read more »

Jack
2 years ago

Remember when Idiocracy was a farce?
Why are these people going to the hospital if they don’t want to be treated by scientists? IF YOU WANT HORSE DEWORMER, TAKE YOUR COVID-RIDDEN ASS TO A VETERINARIAN, YOU CLOWNS!

James
2 years ago
Reply to  Jack

Sooooo the studies in India, Bangladesh, etc showing ivermectin works if USED EARLY aren’t scientific? What’s your degree in?

Honst Otter
2 years ago
Reply to  James

Ivermectin works. Full stop. At all levels of infection it is benificial.. Of course it works best if used early. One study showed a 74% decrease in infections when .2mg were used daily for prophylaxis and with out ANY adverse events.

Lynn Willis
2 years ago
Reply to  Honst Otter

What happened to Hydroxychloroquine, or a sip of bleach, or a light up your ass?

Lynn Willis
2 years ago
Reply to  James

Are these the same folks who also claim bathing in the polluted Ganges River purifies the soul? Now am I hearing an equivocation that Ivermectin only “works” if used “early”‘; therefore, the failure of Ivermectin to help would be not that it is no better than a dip in the Ganges but that it was not administered “early”. Got it…..

Sweeney
2 years ago
Reply to  Lynn Willis

Come on, lynn. Obviously you know nothing of Ganga. The pro ivermectin anti mask and anti vaccine don’t what country the river is in and you would never understand the significance of the Ganga to India. It’s 1500 miles long and starts at 14000 thousand feet. The mountains surrounding the origins are much bigger than anything in Alaska. I’ve traveled the length of it and believe in its religious spiritual place in the Hindu religion. I never saw anyone swim in it to purify their soul.

Lynn Willis
2 years ago
Reply to  Sweeney

From Wikipedia:
Pollution of the Ganges, the largest river in India, poses significant threats to human health and the larger environment. The river, which is severely polluted with human waste and industrial contaminants, provides water to about 40% of India’s population across 11 states, serving an estimated population of 500 million people, which is more than any other river in the world. 

Lynn Willis
2 years ago
Reply to  Sweeney

From Wikipedia:
Despite the varied opinions, the cornerstone of most Hindu beliefs about the Ganges River is that because of its divine origin, it offers divine opportunity. For that reason, people travel for days and stay weeks along the riverbanks, hoping to siphon a bit of blessing and peace. Also (from harvard edu): It is a common belief that bathing in the Ganges washes away a person’s bad karma and is like being in heaven.

Sweeney
2 years ago
Reply to  Lynn Willis

Horseshit Lynn. Take a break from trolling.

Lynn Willis
2 years ago
Reply to  Sweeney

All you have to do to regain credibility with me is refute those facts about the dangerous pollution levels and the religious belief.

Elaine Boedecker
2 years ago
Reply to  James

James, do you have a medical degree? No, thought you didn’t. The makers of Ivermectin said it is not an effective treatment against covid. Now it’s time to shut up.

Honst Otter
2 years ago
Reply to  Jack

Agreed if you don’t know to have ivermectin on hand you don’t deserve to live. Going to the hospital is a death sentence. Which hospital did Joe Rogan goto? Allan west went to a hospital and that was a mistake, but he didn’t need to be there. Harvard, Tuff and the VA concluded half of covid patients have littler o no symptoms and should not be in a hospital setting. This is just massive fraud and malpractice. Which hospital did Ben Garrison go to? Which hospital did Tom Hanks go to? What was the name of that A list celebrate… Read more »

Ahak
2 years ago
Reply to  Honst Otter

After that powerful rant, I 100% trust you to tell me how it is. I mean, you see everything man. It is a total conspiracy by the marxist scientist and it goes straight to the top man. Your genius just changed my life. Thank you for sharing it with us all.

Richie Romero
2 years ago
Reply to  Ahak

No
Thank you Asshat

Sweeney
2 years ago
Reply to  Honst Otter

you are definitely a candidate for the noble peace prize right after the orange guy. My only question is why not snort bleach?

That Guy
2 years ago

We should also be asking why they prescribe Remdesivir when it is a useless treatment against Covid-19 and has major side effects, renal failure being one. Fact; most of these patients’ kidneys give out before the lungs do. Most of these patients require HD or CRRT while they are on the ventilator. And still it is being prescribed by doctors. Read up on it, it is just as useless or more useless than ivermectin which has been approved for use in humans since 1987. Quit calling it a horse dewormer you NPC’s.

Ahak
2 years ago
Reply to  That Guy

I know right? These dumb dumb doctors can’t wrap their brains around how an anti-parasitic drug can cure this virus. They are all on about medical trials and statistics…but this guy here just dropped the FACTS on us. He even made sure to state “Fact;” before stating his fact, which definitely makes what he said more factual..like at least 60% more factual than without the “Fact;”

floridawoman
2 years ago
Reply to  That Guy

The study clearly states there is little evidence ivermectin is helpful in treating Covid-19.

aside

Heroin is a great pain reliever.

Cocaine is an effective anti-depressant.

Meth is an effective treatment for weight gain.

Oh wait-Side affects matter?

Ahak
2 years ago
Reply to  floridawoman

Wait, you actually read the study? That is not how this works. You are supposed to assume that whatever the poster is arguing is supported by the linked study.

Lawli
2 years ago
Reply to  That Guy

My dad was on a vent and was given remdesivir. It had no negative side effects for him and against all odds, he survived severe covid and being on a vent. I think you’re absolutely off base with your assessment, and you clearly don’t understand how antivirals work. The common side effects for remdesivir are nausea and elevated liver enzymes (AST/ALT). Renal failure is not listed and was intentionally tested in clinical trials. No patient showed any signs of deteriorated kidney function, even patients who already had chronic kidney disease. Not sure where you get your info, but it’s incorrect.

Ahak
2 years ago
Reply to  Lawli

This guy over here…citing clinical trials. Pfffftttt. A guy I follow on Facebook shared a post from a chiropractor in Egypt that said remdesivir will wreck your kidneys. I am pretty sure my source trumps yours.

Lynn Willis
2 years ago

So where is Allard getting the money and resources to pursue litigation against Providence to force them to administer a treatment not recognized as effective against COVID? What Judge in their right mind wants to wade into that swamp? Does she understand that in this situation Providence is more than capable of defending themselves against her? Why doesn’t she exercise her “life and death” power to simply move the patient to a more “trusted” location?

Rick
2 years ago

Hey, it’s a free country right? You don’t have to go to the hospital. Besides, why would you even need to when 99.99999% of people who get covid don’t die from it?

Just find a doctor to prescribe ivermectin and a pharmacy to fill it. Simple as that and after you take it you will be miraculously cured!

Lynn Willis
2 years ago
Reply to  Rick

Not the correct survival rate- quite a bit more than 0.00001%. But who needs facts when you can guess and impress Dave Bronson?

According to John Hopkins University Mortality Analyses as of 13 October 2021 United States 44,562,2577 Confirmed Cases, 716,4711 Deaths, Mortality Percent 1.6% , 218.28 Deaths per 100,000

Rick
2 years ago
Reply to  Lynn Willis

Lynn, you neither read that correctly nor got that it was sarcasm.

Lynn Willis
2 years ago
Reply to  Rick

There is always a risk that your sarcasm won’t be perceived as such. The COVID deniers want to believe what you wrote and it will then become “gospel” to them Jamie Allard, Crystal Kennedy and Dave Bronson.

Stop the Hate
2 years ago

I tried three times to post this article to the Facebook page that posts about this case. Each time they suppressed and hid my comment. Knowing their posts are fanning hatred and anger against Providence staff. Not cool.

MKS
2 years ago

Perhaps the most concerning thing about this moment in Alaska and the United States is the extraordinary politicization of this virus. If ivermectin worked, those on the left wouldn’t want to hear it. The fact that vaccines are still the best way to prevent severe illness and death from covid-19 is anathema to those on the right. This discord is a symptom of a dying democracy. Nothing could be sadder or more troubling to me, as a patriot.

Maureen Suttman
2 years ago
Reply to  MKS

Also a patriot here-what do you suggest to get this all to a happy place again?

Sydney Kotic
2 years ago

Did Dr. Heverling prescribe Ivermectin for this patient? Is there a list of Doctors willing to prescribe this for their patients? I’d like to make sure I don’t give them any business.

Last edited 2 years ago by Sydney Kotic
Sydney Kotic
2 years ago
Reply to  Paxson Woelber

Thank you for your reply.

However, Ms. Allard needs to explain why she wrote that false information.

Jackie
2 years ago

Why go to the hospital then? Why not stay home and self medicate?

T M
2 years ago

Well; I hope the people who have to get de-wormed get de-wormed, and I hope the people who need to address their Covid concerns act rationally.

Mephisto
2 years ago

Why are these right-wing “religious” nutcases acting so upset about death; after all, they’ll be able to hang out with god, his kid and the other truly deserving souls. Nothing to worry about, be happy.

Abdul Hashish
2 years ago

You don’t check into hospital and tell their health professionals how to treat you for gawds sake. Talk about the arrogance of ignorance. Allard should STFU and quit interfering with Providence.

Jamison Paul
2 years ago

Am I reading this correctly? A man opposed both to the vaccine and to public health mandates in the midst of a deadly pandemic, shows up with a crowd of maskless people protesting a mask mandate, catches covid-19, is hospitalized, and demands an unproven treatment—And they’re saying the hospital is killing him?

With a rationale like that, prayers are about all they have left. When did willful ignorance become a virtue?

Sydney Kotic
2 years ago
Reply to  Jamison Paul

Actually the way I read it, he had COVID but it hadn’t gotten bad enough to be hospitalized. Which implies he was “sharing” with the other attendees.

Dan Plant
2 years ago

10 years ago if you wrote this in fiction the reader would roll their eyes at the absurdity.

Last edited 2 years ago by Dan Plant
Richie Romero
2 years ago

Lynn and Asshat sitting in a tree k I s s I n g.

Ruirkeksnd
2 years ago

Maybe we should just let them have their death. Did you ever just consider giving those people exactly what they want? Life can only get better if you let them eliminate themselves.

Last edited 2 years ago by Ruirkeksnd
Ruirkeksnd
2 years ago

By the way, you should talk to your “light-hearted” Alaska Stalker. She seems like she’s afraid to get burned and monitors the comments so that no one claps back. That column is not at all “light-hearted.” If she can’t take comments back then maybe she shouldn’t be putting her name on a column that will generate bad feelings.

Last edited 2 years ago by Ruirkeksnd
Question
2 years ago

Paxson—do you have regrets about having done creative work for Lora Reinbold? Maybe you should write about that.

People R Stoopid
2 years ago

People don’t trust science and facts to their own detriment. They will vilify doctors, and eventually no doctor will want to treat patients likely to sue (ie, anti-vaxers). Then who will they blame then?