Below is a copy of one of four consumer complaints against Clifford W. Fetters, MD. Fetters operates Health and Wellness of Carmel, which peddles all manner of quack testing and treatments.
The complaints were attached to a 13 count Administrative Complaint that was submitted in May 2023 by the Indiana Attorney General.
Signs of a scam
The Health and Wellness of Carmel web site prominently targets people who have cancer, in addition to those with concerns about Lyme disease, mold, and heavy metals. As noted by Quackwatch, “toxic mold”, “chronic Lyme”, and “heavy metal toxicity” are fad diagnoses that might be facilitated by unscientific practitioners.
Fetters has been listed as a member of the dangerous pseudoscience groups ILADS and ACAM. His web site uses quack marketing terms like functional, integrative, and holistic. And he sells pricy supplements.
The clinic also employs Jerry Weber, a naturopath who deceptively calls himself a doctor. Weber says he has his doctorate from Trinity College of Natural Health, which is known as a diploma mill and is on Texas’s list of “Fraudulent and Substandard Institutions”.
SOT: Marketed as a virtual cure-all
Health and Wellness of Carmel also promotes “Supportive Oligonucleotide Therapy” (SOT) for both cancer and Lyme disease. It is a major red flag to sell the same treatment for numerous different conditions. This is true especially for SOT, which is not FDA-approved for any condition.
⭐ More: An expert is appalled by the claims of Supportive Oligonucleotide Therapy or SOT salespeople.
RGCC is a shady Greece-based company founded by Dr. Ioannis Papasotiriou, who has been associated with the notorious Hallwang Clinic. RGCC sells SOT and unvalidated testing, both of which Fetters recommended to other patients discussed in the Administrative Complaint.
A husband speaks out
In August 2017, Timothy Hubbard submitted his consumer complaint on behalf of his wife Julie Hubbard. The allegations certainly make it look like Fetters cheated and abused Julie while she was dying of a fast-growing brain tumor.
As of May 2024, Fetters’s clinic was still operating. “Why does it take seven years to do something?” said Timothy.
In an 8 minute long story, WRTV exposes Clifford Fetters’s long history of alleged misconduct:
⭐ “I’d like to see him lose his license”: Widowed man hopeful as state files complaint against Carmel doctor (Instagram mirror)
Fox 59 also covered the story.
Julie was a respiratory therapist, an educated medical professional. This story suggests anyone can fall for a health scam under the right circumstances. Timothy said Fetters “had her so brainwashed that she’d defend him.”
Based on Timothy’s description, Fetters seems to have used a pseudoscientific technique known as applied kinesiology or muscle testing.
Also mentioned is “Vitamin B17”, which is well-known as a dangerous cancer scam, not a vitamin. Vitamin B17 is also called laetrile, a toxic snake oil that contains cyanide.
Another ILADS charlatan Martha Grout, MD infamously dosed a toddler with laetrile to treat cancer before the toddler died of cyanide poisoning. Despite the child’s death, Grout kept her medical license.
According to the Administrative Complaint, Fetters made the following claims in Julie’s medical records, all of which sound like nonsense:
“[E]ven thought [sic] the tumor is marked inoperable, I believe our treatment can slow this down.”
“We will do IV Vitamin C, B17, and salthenium to slow down the progression of the cancer cells.”
“Please avoid fruits as this turns into sugar which feeds cancer cells. Cancer cells can not [sic] use fat as an energy source. I recommend you follow the foods for brain cancer and the ketogenic diet. Please see the handout for this. This diet will starve cancer cells”
“[F]erritin level up, should be around 70, Discussed that too much lead and heavy metals suppress immune system, this can allow cancer to grow.”
“The Vitamin C and B17 is slowing the growth of the tumor.”
“I am interested in having you do a Heavy Metal Challenge test, $330 as most people with cancer have a heavy metal burden which prevents cancer healing.”
Impacts of false hope
Cancer researcher Saul Green wrote in 1998 that in the face of serious illness like cancer, “the need for hope is all-powerful”:
It understandably drives the patient and his family to seek some sort of “alternatives”. These desperate and vulnerable people become fair game to the medical charlatans who offer “all natural, safe treatments that heal.”
When it comes to quackery, proponents often say “what’s the harm?” Timothy’s complaint shows that the harm was life-altering.
Julie became consumed by the medical recommendations made by Fetters, including restricted diet, huge amounts of supplements, and IV treatments. And Fetters allegedly discontinued mainstream treatments prescribed by Julie’s oncologist. Timothy had receipts totaling at least $8,000.
Who is the Complaint Against?
Clifford W. Fetters, MD
Health and Wellness of Carmel LLC
Date of Transaction/Incident
May 2, 2016 to January 10, 2017
How would you like your complaint resolved?
I would like to see his license revoked, and Dr. Fetters prevented from treating others.
June 23, 2017
Dear Sirs,
My wife ███ was diagnosed on March 17, 2014 with stage 4 brain cancer (Glioblastomas) with a prognosis upon original diagnosis of 6 months to 3 years with an average of 18 months. After undergoing regular cancer treatment (i.e. surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments), my wife sought a second opinion and alternative holistic treatment with Dr. Fetters beginning May 2, 2016 coinciding with her regular oncology treatments. She chose Dr. Clifford Fetters MD, because his business card indicated by the letters M.D. following his name that he was a trained medical doctor. (See copy of card enclosed}
Eventually my wife’s cancer progressed to the point that she was hospitalized at St. Frances Hospital after a seizure occurring on July 19, 2016. On or around July 21, 2016 ████ oncologist met with the family members to discuss preparation of a (DNR), Power of attorney, and putting her on hospice care.
Upon her release from the hospital she was prescribed by her oncologist steroids for brain swelling and anti-seizure medications. ████ improved on the medications and although hospice had been assigned hospice was not required at the time.
███ continued during this time to see Dr. Fetters. Even though she had shown improvement on the steroids and anti-seizure medication, stabilizing her condition to the quality of life she had enjoyed before hospitalization, Dr. Fetters had ████ abruptly discontinue the oncologist’s course of treatment and continue his treatment only.
I accompanied my wife to every appointment with Dr. Fetters from the beginning. Initially we informed Dr. Fetters of Julie’s diagnosis. On the first visit he asked, “What were we willing to pay for healing?” explaining that he had patients paying from $500.00 per month to $35,000.00 per month. I felt right away he was all about the money. There were never any other witnesses in the room when he met with us. He told us in the beginning that he could have ████ in remission in 2 to 4 months depending on his initial evaluation and battery of tests (copy of results enclosed). He stated he felt pretty sure he could have my wife back to work by the first of the year. This caused ████ to be so hopeful that she was actually extremely stressed by this comment because she had been a respiratory therapist and had let her license lapse because the oncologist had informed us on her initial diagnosis that she would never be capable of returning to work again.
Every time we visited Dr. Fetters he added new supplements that could only be purchased through him. All lab testing had to be through his lab and although all his reports promised a complete explanation of the lab testing results we did not receive any except his original evaluation. (See Dr. reports per visits)
To my knowledge there was never any additional lab testing or any MRIS done unless I insisted. When I requested that further testing be done at St. Francis Hospital (where she had received her previous cancer treatment and who possessed all of her medical records) Dr. Fetters adamantly resisted and verbally argued with me until I insisted on the testing.
Even so without further lab testing Dr. Fetters would list on his reports of our visits that ████ was doing well with his IV treatments. (refer to reports enclosed)
During office visits Dr. Fetters examined my wife, diagnosed her, and prescribed new medications and supplements (emphasizing and listing the cost of same-see papers enclosed) by holding her arm up at the wrist, pressing on her wrist, and counting. During these arm examinations he would find an obvious pressure point, press on it, causing involuntary movement of her arm and hand, and diagnose new vitamin deficiencies, always increasing her supplements averaged approximately $1,000.00 per month by the time she discontinued treatment.
Throughout ████ treatment with Dr. Fetters it seems he was more concerned with the cost of everything. He continually asked if treatment costs were an issue and would remind us that other patients were paying him considerably more trying to convince us that his costs were just the cost of healing. He would often suggest to us other financial resources we could access that we did not have available such as 401ks, etc. On several occasions I questioned his methods of treatment and the continued increased costs, but he just ignored my concerns.
Each time he added a new product or supplement he convinced my wife that the product suggested was especially designed for her specific illness.
From the moment of her initial cancer diagnosis by her oncologist we were informed that her condition was incurable.
The reasons why we went to Dr. Fetters was to get an honest second opinion and to see if there was alternative treatments to improve and extend ████ life. When Dr. Fetters saw how desperate my wife was to have a glimmer of hope of improvement, he took advantage of us and conned us for thousands of dollars. More importantly, however, he gave my wife false hope and during his course of treatment advised her to discontinue the medications that were best controlling her symptoms while requiring such a restricted diet and excessive supplements, IV treatments and exercise he robbed ████ and her family of the best quality of life she could experience in her final months.
Although ████ showed extreme weight loss under Dr. Fetters care he continued to advise her to lose weight. Her whole final days revolved around the regiment of food, exercise, and supplements he had prescribed consuming her totally, not allowing her freedom to enjoy those days and months with family and friends to the best her illness would allow.
On ████ second-to last visit with Dr. Fetters in December 2016 we had to sit and wait half hour before seeing the doctor. He then spent half hour with ████ and myself and charged us $400.00 an hour.
On January 2017 we sat for over 1 hour waiting. When Dr. Fetters came in he asked if we had waited long. I informed him we had waited 1 hour and should not have to pay. After he examined ████ by the arm method previously described he claimed he was late due to another patient having chest pains and leg pains, but we observed no indication of any emergency in his office.
On the January visit Dr. Fetters wanted to add a new yogurt. Again this product was described as being developed specifically for ████ illness. ████ asked the doctor if she agreed to take the new yogurt if she could discontinue some of his other supplements. He hatefully asked “Why is money an issue?” By this time my wife grasped my arm because she knew I would be upset with the tone Dr. Fetters was using with her and we left.
In January ████ was noticeable worse. Within 2 weeks she fell and was taking to the ER. She was then placed back in hospice care on January 25, 2017 and never recovered. By Jan. 29, 2017 ████ was totally bedfast with catheter and passed away February 3, 2017. However, if you review Dr. Fetters notes on Jan. 10th (copy enclosed) he states. “Overall you are doing well with the IV treatments, vitamin C and B17” as he had reported on most of her visits.
Sincerely,
Timothy J. Hubbard