CARMEL, Ind. – The attorney general’s office and Medical Licensing Board are investigating a holistic doctor out of Carmel, accusing him of violating several state codes including advertising treatments in a “false or misleading manner.”
On May 11, 2023, the attorney general’s office filed an administrative complaint with the Medical Licensing Board against Dr. Clifford Fetters, who owns the holistic medical practice Health & Wellness of Carmel.
Josh DeFonce, media director for the attorney general’s office, said in an email statement:
“In short, following the OAG’s investigations into the consumer complaints filed against Dr. Fetters, the State filed the Administrative Complaint with the Medical Licensing Board. The parties are currently engaged in discovery and anticipate a hearing will be set for the Board’s May meeting.”
This came after they investigated multiple consumer complaints, and concluded Fetters advertised alternative treatments for several diseases, including cancer, misleadingly. For a couple of years, the Better Business Bureau has had an alert on the practice – which they assigned their lowest rating.
“If there are claims relating to the performance or results of things, it should be backed up by reliable evidence,” BBB Serving Central Indiana Director of Communications Jennifer Adamany explained. “We reached out to request they provide proof of the claims and they chose not to provide it.”
One complaint reads:
“Every time we visited Dr. Fetters he added new supplements that could only be purchased through him. 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.”
The other three complaints were also filed on behalf of loved ones who sought treatment from Fetters, with one person saying that Fetters promised their father he could increase his chances of survival by 30% but only after giving him an extra $12,000 for supplements.
“When you’re dealing with health and illness, especially when it’s a terminal illness, it’s a very emotional situation,” Adamany added. “You certainly want answers and results to get you out of that situation.”
Adamany said for that reason, when consumers are choosing a healthcare provider, research and getting multiple opinions are crucial.
“Are they licensed? By whom? What does that licensing mean? You want to research the treatments and be cautious of any miracle results,” Adamany said.
On his practice’s website, Fetters describes his goal as guiding his clients “on a path to ultimate wellness without the use of prescription drugs.”
FOX59/CBS4 reached out to Health & Wellness of Carmel. Taunie Nungester, the administrative operations manager, responded with the following statement:
“We are handling this matter professionally with the Attorney General and the medical board, and we are confident that it will be resolved in a favorable manner. At this time, we have no further statements.”
The attorney general’s office requested the Medical Licensing Board impose disciplinary sanctions and require Dr. Clifford Fetters to pay all costs associated with the prosecution of this case.
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