State medical board urges caution after Cullman weight-loss clinic accused of misleading patients

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners is urging patients to do their research and ask questions after state investigators accused a Cullman weight-loss clinic of misleading clients about what was in their injections.

Aurora IV and Wellness Clinic, which has multiple locations across the state, is now under investigation by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. The state is taking steps to shut down the business after a whistleblower came forward, claiming patients were injected with a weight-loss drug intended only for research use — not approved for humans or animals.

Wilson Hunter, general counsel for the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, says his office is taking the allegations seriously.

“Whenever we hear of deceptive practices or any sort of honesty issues or anything like that, the board takes a very serious look at that,” Hunter said.

Hunter says the board is seeing cases like this more often and wants the public to be aware of common red flags when visiting a clinic or medical spa. One warning sign, he says, is if a provider operates more like a retail business than a medical practice.

“If you go to a place and they’re basically saying you tell us what you want and we’ll give it to you. You should be on alert that they’re there to sell you something,” Hunter said.

He adds that patients should be cautious if a clinic offers treatments that their primary care physician wouldn’t recommend — or if a medication is being offered at a price that seems too good to be true.

“I think you ought to have a concern that person has cut a safety corner somewhere,” Hunter said.

The board has also seen cases where clinics blend cheaper, research-grade injections with vitamins like B-12, a practice known as “compounding”, to make the drugs appear legitimate.

“The way the law is written, that’s a new drug and so they can set a new price. If they’re offering you a GLP-1 plus something else, an additive, that means it’s compounded and you should then start asking questions about if it’s pharmaceutical grade or not,” Hunter said.

Hunter encourages patients to take a few moments to verify their provider’s license and disciplinary record before undergoing any treatment.

A link to the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners’ physician lookup tool can be found here.

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