Kentucky HRT Doctor Faces Medical Board

[Jinzang]

According to this news article, a Kentuky doctor who runs a chain of HRT clinics called "25 Again" faces discipline by the Kentucky Medical Board for overuse of hormone replacement therapy.

Patients swear by it — and by its medical director, Dr. Elizabeth Veeneman Bates. But the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure could revoke Bates' license or permanently bar her from practicing hormone medicine. It says her practice of so-called “hormone optimization therapy” — giving thyroid and testosterone to people with normal levels of both, to make them feel better — violates acceptable and prevailing standards of medicine. The agency says the practice is not taught in medical schools or recognized as a specialty, nor are there guidelines for it. But advocates for the 47-year-old physician, a longtime internist who started offering hormone therapy in 2014, say she's what one called a victim of “medical fascism.”
25 Again CEO Ted Ennenbach, a CPA, said in an email that the company has treated “tens of thousands of patients” since it was founded in 2011, without a single complaint. He says patient safety is paramount and the clinic uses “protocols deployed throughout the hormone therapy industry.” Records show 25 Again has never been sued for negligence.
Pending the outcome of her disciplinary case, the medical licensure board already has suspended Bates, who has about 600 of her own patients, from practicing hormone medicine. It is scheduled to meet June 21 to determine if she should be sanctioned. It could suspend, restrict, limit or revoked her license. The board doesn't allege that any of Bates' patients were harmed, but Farmer said Kentucky law doesn't require it to do so before taking action if safety is at risk.

 

[Vince]

Self-verified patient of Dr. Elizabeth V Bates - Posted on December 10th, 2013
Dr Bates cares about her patients. I didnt go into office for a couple years and when I went back for an appointment she welcomed me with open arms and it was like visiting with an old friend. She remembered my family and spent an hour with me making sure everything was ok. She is an awesome doctor!!!!

https://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Elizabeth_Bates.html


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[Nelson Vergel]

We would not allow crap like this to happen in HIV back in the days when doctors were risking their licenses by prescribing anabolic steroids to those of us who were wasting and felt hopeless.

So much talk about masculinity and taking charge. Let's see if any patients protest to the medical board. Until men (and women) raise up to protect physicians that are doing their best to make them feel better, progressive physicians will be the target of medical boards in every state.

Raise up, Kentucky!

 

[Jinzang]

WTF? Wouldn't want that...

I'd be a little bit careful here. "Normal levels"could just mean above the absurdly low level that's the current standard. By that standard 300 ng/dl is normal.

 

[Jinzang]

Raise up, Kentucky!

Protests are unlikely to sway the medical board. Probably the most effective tactic is lobby the legislature to get the law changed so that a doctor can't be disciplined unless there's evidence of patient harm.

 

[tareload]

Illuminating read (see p. 10-25):

https://centerforinquiry.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/quackwatch/alj_2018.pdf

 

[Dicky]

Illuminating read (see p. 10-25):

https://centerforinquiry.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/quackwatch/alj_2018.pdf

That's a disturbing read. I didn't read the whole thing, but Kentucky is coming after this doctor who appears to be prescribing testosterone and Armor thyroid in much the same way that any TRT clinic would be doing. One specific complaint is that she prescribed Armor instead of the usual synthetic thyroid hormone. Kind of an old school complaint.

This reeks of a hatchet job from somebody who doesn't like the hormone optimization industry.