When the American Diabetes Association
endorses something, look out. By that, I mean the less than
honorable surgeons will find a way to fatten their wallets. From the
Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the California
Department of Insurance (CDI), plus other agencies are continuing
their investigations into the practices of gastric banding in
Southern California.
“In December, the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) warned the marketing firm called 1-800-Get-Thin
and 8 affiliated surgery centers that the ads are misleading because
they fail to spell out the risks of the surgery. The agency ordered
the businesses to change the ads immediately.” The FDA has
this right, and the risks are not to be taken lightly. See my blog here for links to many of the risks.
What is frightening are the deaths,
which has resulted from the surgery since 2009. Supposedly, there
have been at least five deaths to patients after having the gastric
banding operation. The 1-800-Get-Thin marketing firm and the surgery
centers have been the subject of two wrongful-death suits and a
whistleblower suit from ex-employees and patients. The last suit
alleges the cover-up of a patient death in addition to other
problems.
In addition to the CDI investigation,
the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is investigating the ad
campaign. They are seeking legislation to regulate bariatric surgery
centers. Then we know when something like this hits the news, you
can be assured members of Congress will want to hold hearings.
The whistleblower suit goes on to show
who the real owners are and that they have been disciplined by the
California Medical Board in 2008. It goes on to expose the shell
companies that were designed to conceal the brothers' ownership.
At least this surgery may be rid of a
couple of bad apples that is doing damage to patients and giving
gastric-banding a black eye. The important aspect of this is the
adverse publicity may make patients think twice and be sure they
understand all the risks of this type or surgery.
Read the three articles that cover much
of the same areas – article 1, article 2 and article 3. Be sure
you know the risks before you submit to this surgery and do your due
diligence in investigating the surgeon and surgery center doing the
procedure. Gastric-banding or lap-band surgery is not for everyone.
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