Bluffton pediatrician surrenders medical license after DUI charge
A Bluffton pediatrician who was charged with driving under the influence earlier this month has voluntarily surrendered his authority to practice medicine, according to state licensing records.
Lance Lowe, the pediatrician and founder of Palmetto Pediatrics of the Lowcountry, voluntarily surrendered his license with the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners, state records show. It is unclear when exactly the voluntary surrender happened.
A physician who voluntarily surrenders a license may not practice medicine unless the state Medical Board reinstates it, said Holly Beeson, a spokesperson for the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
A voluntary surrender is not considered an admission of guilt and does not prevent the board from pursuing disciplinary action against the physician, Beeson said.
Lowe was booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center just after 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 9 with charges of DUI and driving with a suspended license.
Just hours before, parents of one of Lowe’s patients alerted the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office that the doctor appeared to be impaired during their child’s appointment. Parents told police that while they were at Lowe’s office to have their child treated, he appeared “to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” according to a police report obtained by The Island Packet.
By the time officers arrived at the practice, it had been closed for the day, and they were not able to make contact with Lowe, according to the police report. The case was subsequently closed.
Beeson would not confirm whether a formal complaint had been filed against Lowe. Physicians under investigation for a violation may voluntarily surrender their license, she said.
The board temporarily suspended Lowe’s license in 2015 after he had been charged with DUI, child endangerment and driving with an open container by the Charleston Police Department, according to an order from the state’s licensing department.
This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 1:31 PM.
