Vermont authorities warn IV therapy clinics ... "IV 'cocktails' marketed as treatments for hangovers and more"

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https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2024/08/13/vermont-iv-therapy-clinics-medical-spas-saline-vitamins-weight-loss/74767416007/

Vermont authorities warn IV therapy clinics to follow strict rules for treatments

Dan D'Ambrosio
Burlington Free Press

Vermont's Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) fired a warning shot across the bow of the state's IV therapy clinics and medical spas in a public statement last week, saying what they do "indisputably constitutes the practice of medicine," and requires them to follow strict rules governing prescriptions, drug compounding and the administering of IVs.

The OPR and Board of Medical Practice said they have recently received "reports of inappropriate activities occurring at IV therapy clinics/spas, including out-of-scope practice and unlicensed practice of medicine."

Contacted by the Burlington Free Press about the reports, Jennifer Colin, general counsel for the OPR, said in an email that to date no disciplinary charges have been filed against any IV therapy businesses or medical spas as the result of a complaint, "so we are not authorized to share complaints or reports received." Colin said if charges are filed, the complaints will be made public.

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IV 'cocktails' marketed as treatments for hangovers and more

The OPR explained that so-called "IV therapy" involves administering intravenous "cocktails" of additives to saline that may include vitamins, minerals or prescriptions drugs. These IV cocktails are offered in retail therapy clinics or "medical spas," and are marketed as treatments for dehydration, fatigue and hangovers, or to help people with athletic recovery or weight loss.

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[captain queeg]

1. I did one of these about 8 yrs ago, they administered NAD+

It’s stands for a long scientific name that I could never remember. The place I went was run by a doctor. It was a unique experience. It was very expensive. I recently looked into it to see if the price had come down. Now it and similar therapies are offered at many places and some of them sound a little sketchy.

[hlthe2b]

2. I signed on to a medical board inquiry/complaint about those commercial "IV Nutrition" centers

opening across Colorado. Yes, they (probably DO) have a physician (somewhere, some time, supposedly) overseeing methods, procedures in general, but it appears to not include onsite presence--and it is highly questionable if there is any kind of physician-patient relationship--even in the broadest possible definition. An IV catheter is an invasive procedure and anything administered can be dangerous--even saline if it is not sterile. And heaven knows the safety/purity of whatever the hell "nutritional additives" they are choosing to inject directly into one's bloodstream or possibly other routes.

There is a place for this kind of therapy, but it needs to be a medically overseen procedure--not a fad to accompany whatever celebrity culture or some unfortunate book-writing nutritional/sports medicine GRIFTER decides.

We shall see what CO finds from their inquiries, but caveat emptor. (Buyer beware). There is little clear evidence that your only loss might be limited to $$$$. And safety is a big damned question.