Oregon Doctor Suspended for TRT

[Jinzang]

Pretty soon the only doctors who treat low testosterone will practice in Florida or Mexico. According to the latest news:

A Salem doctor is under investigation by the Oregon Medical Board for allegedly performing medical procedures that were not clinically supported, placing her patients at risk.
The board's concerns with Harmon include: treating pre- and post-menopausal women with testosterone for non-specific symptoms; treating men with testosterone whose testosterone levels were within the normal range; not confirming diagnoses before treatment; not informing patients their treatment wasn't approved by the FDA; and claiming benefits of a hormone treatment not supported by medical consensus.
"By extolling the benefits of and proceeding with testosterone, estradiol and thyroid treatment without clinical justification, (Harmon) exposed her patients to the risk of harm without clinical justification, and failed to conform her practice to the fundamental medical principle 'to first, do no harm,'" the Oregon Medical Board wrote in a June emergency suspension order.

 

[Vince Carter]

Probably what started things rolling:
"treating men with testosterone whose testosterone levels were within the normal range", which could be a bad precedent especially since the levels have been lowered.

 

[Systemlord]

I don't think your garden variety doctors should be allowed to prescribe testosterone to anyone without at least certified with some sort of training. There are too many irresponsible doctors putting guys on terrible protocols (300mg weekly) and putting their health at risk.

It's situations like this that is going to force big brother to clamp down on TRT as a whole.

 

[Kirk001]

It's situations like this that is going to force big brother to clamp down on TRT as a whole.

Situations like this? Based on that article this doctor has done nothing wrong! (Except maybe for using a sub-optimal delivery system like pellets. But that hardly justifies stripping her medical license and depriving all her patients of their treatments, which they are unlikely to get anywhere else in that area.)

Most of the complaints/accusations against this doctor mentioned in this article could also be made against every responsible TRT provider across the country.

 

[Outcome]

That Dr. Couldn't have picked a worse T preparation in the BioTE. But she was treating symptoms which is good as opposed to treating to numbers. Still, it's disturbing that the state med board is making her fight for her license. It's all about precendents.

 

[DragonBits]

Situations like this? Based on that article this doctor has done nothing wrong! (Except maybe for using a sub-optimal delivery system like pellets. But that hardly justifies stripping her medical license and depriving all her patients of their treatments, which they are unlikely to get anywhere else in that area.)

Most of the complaints/accusations against this doctor mentioned in this article could also be made against every responsible TRT provider across the country.

I think it's worthwhile to read the actual emergency suspension order. Some of the things they describe her doing I agree with shouldn't have been done. I am sure most of you will agree if you read the order.
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The Board’s Division 017 regulations for Office Based Surgical Facilities require that lipoplasty involving the removal o f more than 500 cc o f supernatant fat must be performed as a Level II or III surgical procedure. Licensee’s clinic was not accredited as a Level II or III office based surgical facility when the surgeries took place, which placed her patients at serious risk of harm.

Licensee also failed to consistently conduct follow-up examinations or studies after initiating treatment with high doses of testosterone to check for complications. In some cases, patients had pellets that extruded from the incision site, requiring removal.

Patient I, a 74-year-old male, had a family history of prostate cancer and a
personal history o f hypertension, lung cancer, stroke, and atrial fibrillation, and was maintained on a course o f warfarin (Coumadin). Despite this health history, Patient I underwent a lipoplasty procedure in December 2013, in which Licensee removed 2,200 cc of fat. On April 9, 2017, Patient I presented to Licensee with complaints o f diminished libido and low energy. Patient I’s testosterone level was 282, PSA 2.28 and normal thyroid functions. Licensee did not perform a genital or prostate examination, and treated Patient I with testosterone pellets, 1,500 mg. On June 30, 2017, Patient I’s estradiol level was 48 and testosterone level 1447. On August 2, 2017 and December 12, 2017, Licensee treated Patient I with testosterone 1,500 mg with no follow-up PSA or hematocrit tests. Licensee also prescribed a supplement (ADK -10) containing vitamin K, which could reverse Patient I’s anticoagulant medication, warfarin. Licensee’s treatment for Patient I was not medically indicated and exposed Patient I to the risk o f harm, particularly the possible increased risk of heart disease, stroke and prostate cancer.


https://omb.oregon.gov/clients/ormb/OrderDocuments/78be6360-660b-47c9-8918-d073e670986a.pdf

I don't agree about how the "normal" range of testosterone is derived and you have to be below 264 ng/dl before treatment, but a lot of things this doctor did were not good medical practice. Like no follow-up PSA or hematocrit tests, no prostate tests, giving K2 to someone on warfarin etc.

 

[OMI100]

"prescribed a supplement (ADK -10) containing vitamin K, which could reverse Patient I’s anticoagulant medication, warfarin".
On the surface this alone seems a bit over the top and dangerous. Even I know that if you are on warfarin you need to watch your vit K intake with foods that contain natural vit K....... And GIVING VIT K ??????

 

[Vince Carter]

Well that certainly changes things and no surprise here, it wasn't the Testosterone.

 

[DragonBits]

Well that certainly changes things and no surprise here, it wasn't the Testosterone.

They had patients A-J in the order, only patient H was straight forward, though the doctor never checked things like hematocrit and pituitary function and didn't do several exams most doctors would have done. The other patients had some serious comorbidities.

Testosterone was often mentioned as a problem, which worries me a little if this should spread to other states,and Oregon is usually a fairly liberal state with the Death with Dignity Act. This allows terminally-ill Oregonians to end their lives through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose. (as long as it's not Testosterone )

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Patient H, a 43-year-old male with a history of sleep apnea, was seen by Licensee on February 13, 2017, complaining of fatigue, mental fog and decreased libido. His testosterone level was tested once, revealing a subnormal level of 144, with a normal PSA level of 1.08 and 20 normal thyroid level. Patient H ’s hematocrit and pituitary function were not checked. Without ordering a second test, Licensee treated Patient FI with 2,000 m g o f testosterone in ten pellets. On May 30, 2017, Patient H ’s testosterone level was 943 with an estradiol level o f 46. He received another 2,000 mg o f testosterone in pellets. On September 19, 2017, it was necessary to remove an extruding pellet and Patient H ’s testosterone level was noted to be 594. Fie was treated with 2,400 mg o f testosterone pellets. On December 17, 2017, Patient H received a 600mg boost o f testosterone pellets to replace three pellets which had previously been extruded. On 2 January 15, 2018, Patient H ’s estradiol level was 45, and his testosterone level was 623. Patient H received another 1,200 mg of testosterone. During the course of treatment, Licensee did not test Patient H ’s PSA level or conduct testicular or prostate examinations. Licensee’s treatment for Patient H was not medically indicated and exposed him to the risk of harm.

 

[Kirk001]

Ok yeah I didn't read that document... maybe this doc was a bit sloppy and/or reckless.

But I think my point still stands... the thing that everyone who hears about this is going to see is that news article, or maybe some local tv news show that will be similar to the article. And most of what they attack her with in that article could also be used to attack other hormone docs who are not sloppy or reckless.

 

[maxadvance]

lol the only super obvious point that stands is that someone should read the efen article before someone blesses us with their internet wisdom, aka bullshit

 

[Kirk001]

lol the only super obvious point that stands is that someone should read the efen article before someone blesses us with their internet wisdom, aka bullshit

That info was not in the article genius