A man in California is facing five felony charges for allegedly impersonating a licensed physician while giving unproven medical treatments to thousands of people over several years, including treatments he claimed could treat cancer.
In a press release this week, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced charges against Stephan Gevorkian, who has been operating a business called “Pathways Medical” in Toluca Lake, near North Hollywood, since 2017.
Gevorkian reportedly posed as a doctor, although he apparently did not hold any medical license in California, not even as a naturopath. Many patient testimonials on the company’s website and Google reviews seem to refer to Gevorkian as “Dr. G”
“Unlicensed practicing medicine is not only a criminal activity in California, it can cause irreparable damage to the health of unsuspecting people, some with serious illnesses, who believe they are under the care of a licensed physician,” said Gascon in the news. Edition.
But “Dr. G” was not offering standard, evidence-based medicine with its supposedly bogus title. Pathways’ offerings consisted of a short list of unproven, goop-esque wellness fads, primarily IV vitamin treatments, as well as ozone therapies and electroacuscope therapy (which involves applying low-voltage current to tissue). And Gevorkian made bold medical claims about all of them.
Bold claims
The Pathways website is currently blocked with a message saying it is “Under Construction”. But an Internet archive recording dated March 8, 2023 shows several IV vitamin infusion therapies being offered, with claims such as “alternative cancer therapy,” “improves depression,” “prevents viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections,” “treats anemia,” and “helps with addiction recovery.”
The electro-acuscope treatment is said to regenerate damaged tissue and treat “neuro-musculoskeletal disorders, both chronic and acute”. The ozone therapies, meanwhile, can treat “gynecological problems such as endometriosis, ovarian cysts and vaginitis,” plus slow aging, reduce wrinkles and turn fat into muscle.
Gevorkian wrote on the site’s homepage that “our medical experts saw a gap in modern medicine, with patients being over-prescribed pills and drugs but ignoring the simple yet effective benefits of IV vitamin therapy.” It is not clear who the medical experts are. The website does not appear to list any staff or medical advisors. In business filings with the state, Gevorkian is listed as the CEO, CFO, director and secretary of the Pathway board of directors.
Part of the sales pitch includes the comment that vitamins administered intravenously offer “100 percent absorption,” while only 10 percent of supplements are absorbed by the standard route. Nevertheless, in case you are still interested in non-IV vitamins, Pathways also sells its own selection of branded vitamins and supplement pills.
The site claims these miraculous-sounding vitamin treatments have “attracted customers from all walks of life, including high-profile celebrities and executives.” Last November, they also recruited an undercover state detective, who consulted with Gevorkian. According to the prosecutor’s press release:
The company conducts blood tests on patients, advises them on treatments and provides treatment for serious conditions, including cancer and viral infections. During the consultation, Gevorkian reportedly failed to accurately address abnormal levels of a hormone that could indicate a serious medical condition.
In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, Gevorkian’s attorney Justin E. Sterling denied the allegations, saying Gevorkian “looks forward to vigorously defending himself.”
“It is important to recognize that what is considered known or understood in the beginning is not always the case in the end,” Sterling’s statement reads. “Any suggestion that Mr. Gevorkian was posing as a doctor in an attempt to treat unsuspecting patients is demonstrably false.”
It’s unclear what exactly Gevorkian’s defense is. The LA Times noted that Sterling did not respond to follow-up questions about the defense. Internet searches into Gevorkian’s background did not immediately turn up anything that substantiated a medical background. A wedding magazine article appears to feature Gevorkian’s 2012 Hollywood wedding to a professional Latin American ballroom dancer. The article states that he is “a doctor who specializes in trauma surgery”.
Gevorkian’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 24.
