TEXAS, USA — As the death investigation continues in the case of Fairfield resident Jenifer Cleveland, a group of physicians are sounding the alarm about the dangers that can come with med spas and the laws that need to change.
Med spas typically provide a variety of services, from IV therapy to skin care and cosmetic procedures. They've become so popular that people can see it as a beautification appointment, like a manicure.
However, Dr. Patricia Aronin with the TX400, an organization of Texas physicians, said the problem is that there isn't a lot of policy enforcement or regulation over how med spas operate, and the public doesn't truly understand exactly what they are.
"They don't realize that medicine, in general, is kind of the Wild West in terms of people being out there practicing medicine without really being adequately supervised, and they don't realize that a medi spa is actually a medical treatment," Aronin explained.
Aronin said it's an issue that has been snowballing for the last 10 years and she, along with others who are part of the grassroots organization, want change to be made before more people have to fall victim to the downside of the med spa industry.
With the way the medical industry and Texas law are set up, Aronin said it has opened the door for illegal behavior in med spas. She provided a couple of her concerns to 6 News.
"It is required by the Texas Medical Board not only that you have a good faith exam done, but that you have medical records being kept of what was done," Aronin added. "I would venture to bet there are very few med spas in the state who are keeping medical records anywhere."
Those are two questions that need to be answered in the death of Cleveland. The Central Texas woman died after visiting a Wortham med spa to receive an IV treatment.
Following Cleveland's death, the Texas Medical Board temporarily suspended the license of Dr. Michael Patrick Gallagher on Oct. 12. Through his credentials, a woman at the med spa was able to order TPN and other prescription solutions, as well as administer the IV to Cleveland. The board said Gallagher served as the medical director over the Wortham location.
Aronin stressed the medical director situation in the med spa industry is one of the biggest issues that needs change.
"I would like to see on the med spa side of things, something that defines how they hire a medical director," Aronin said. "That defines that it has to be someone who actually can be there, who can deal with problems and is knowledgeable enough to be providing them the direction they need."
Aronin said changes need to start with patients, but they need to know to advocate for their health too, like asking questions to staff at med spas about qualifications, practices and equipment. Aronin said people need to start taking med spa treatments seriously, like any other medical treatment.
"It's not to be a scare tactic to the public, but this is not the same as getting your nails done and I think that the sooner that the public starts asking those questions and raising concerns the better."
63 percent of med spas were owned by non-physicians and non-surgeons in 2022, according to the American Med Spa Association.
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