2 L.A. Clinics Affiliated With 1-800-Get-Thin Cease Lap-Band Surgeries
Some local Lap-Band patients will have to wait for their new lives to begin, as two L.A. outpatient clinics have temporarily halted the surgeries. The 1-800-GET-THIN marketing campaign has fallen under much scrutiny in recent months, including state and federal investigations. As a result, both local clinics are conducting a review of the procedure.
The New Life Surgery Center in Beverly Hills and Valley Surgical Center in West Hills have banned the operations until they finish "a top-to-bottom medical and operational review," according to CBS LA. The examination comes on the heels of Irvine-based Allergan's recent announcement that it would stop selling the weight loss device to companies affiliated with the campaign. Michael and Julian Omidi, the two brothers listed as the owners of the surgery centers, have hired defense attorney John Hueston to represent them "in a flood of pending lawsuits," says L.A. Times.
KPCC posted a statement released by the surgical centers: "Recent allegations question the safety of the Lap-Band procedures at two centers. While we strongly believe these allegations paint a false picture of the care provided overall and discount our capabilities and success rate, we have stopped scheduling new Lap-Band surgeries at those centers."
In December, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors demanded that Lap-Band surgical centers and marketers practice that crucial element called truth in their advertising, expressing worry that the campaign may mislead patients into thinking the surgery comes with zero health risks. The California Department of Insurance has reportedly hopped aboard the campaign opposition train and is also investigating the ad campaign and its affiliated surgery centers.
At least five SoCalians have died from Lap-Band surgeries associated with the campaign since 2009, including 55-year-old Paula Rojeski of Orange County. After undergoing Lap-Band surgery at Valley Surgical Center on September 8, Rojeski was rushed from the clinic to the hospital and died. She was the second patient to die after the procedure at the West Hills center. The coroner's office has yet to release the cause of her death; the autopsy was performed five months ago.
Lawsuits involving the campaign include a whistle-blower lawsuit filed by two former surgery center workers, several pending wrongful-death lawsuits and a false advertising lawsuit filed by patients.
