BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A Bismarck stem cell clinic investigated by state officials has agreed to pay nearly $20,000 in consumer refunds and discontinue stem cell injections not approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.
The consumer protection division of the state attorney general’s office launched an investigation of West 2 Medical Solutions last November after receiving consumer complaints.
The state and company recently reached an agreement, The Bismarck Tribune reported . The clinic will refund patients and also pay $4,000 in penalties, fees and costs to the attorney general’s office. Clinic officials denied any wrongdoing.
“For us, it’s mission accomplished,” said Parrell Grossman, the director of the consumer protection division. “We needed to stop these injections due to our concerns about the misrepresentations and any potential adverse consequences, and otherwise make sure the clinic can engage in other forms of medical treatment that is in compliance with federal and state law.”
Grossman said clinic officials cooperated with the probe, so the state decided against a consumer fraud action.
“Sometimes defendants don’t cooperate, they don’t accept responsibility and here they cooperated with our investigation throughout the process, and I think the attorney general took that into consideration,” he said.
Clinic co-owner Dean Jones said it will continue to operate, just without the products that aren’t FDA-compliant.
“The attorney general’s office, themselves, have taken the position that the products we were using were not compliant with the FDA, and so, accordingly, we just agreed to refrain from using those products,” Jones said
He said other stem cell injections in accordance to FDA may be considered.
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, http://www.bismarcktribune.com
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