Calif. Physician approved by disciplined celebrities on herbal hormone therapy

A celebrity-endorsed Santa Monica doctor has been sanctioned by the Medical Board of California after treating patients with controversial herbal hormones.

Dr. Prudence Hall presented the menopause treatment to the Oprah Winfrey Network, in conversation with Duchess Sarah Ferguson, and received recommendations from Cindy Crawford and Suzanne Somers, according to her website. The latter wrote Hall's book, "Radiant Again & Forever with Bioidentical Hormones and Other Secrets". On her website, Hall claims to have treated 40,000 women in more than 30 years of medical practice.

The medical board placed the court on probation for four years in an agreement approved last month, citing it for "ignoring" the potential risks of plant hormones and failing to properly monitor its patients.

In one case cited by the jury, Hall failed to diagnose an aggressive form of uterine cancer in a patient who was undergoing bioidentical hormone therapy. Another patient was treated on the basis of an "incorrect diagnosis in such a way that [Hall] was able to earn financially, "said the settlement.

Under the regulations, Hall can no longer promote itself as a specialist in hormone therapy, gynecologist or endocrinologist, and its practice must be subject to the supervision of a physician who will report to the board. Hall is allowed to treat women for the management of menopause and other problems. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement to the Kaiser Health Network, which revealed the story, Hall's spokesperson said, "Dr. Hall continues to dedicate his career and his life to helping patients achieve health and well-being optimal. the results of the latest medical research have allowed him to achieve exceptional results for his patients. "

The hormones used are called "bioidentical" because they have the same molecular structure as hormones naturally present in the female body, such as estrogen and progesterone. Bioidentical hormones are meant to be tailored to individual patients and are generally not approved by the Federal Drug Administration.

One study says that more than 2.5 American women have used bio-identical hormone treatments, seeking to relieve the symptoms of perimenopause, including hot flashes, aging skin and loss of libido. Bioidentical composite sales were estimated at $ 845 million in 2013, according to a study.

Some bio-identical hormones are approved by the FDA, although the products used by Hall have not been.

"You hear about all these self-proclaimed functional medicine doctors who provide these treatments – never in my wildest dreams I thought it would be in this stage," Bay Area-based OB-GYN Kaiser Jen Gunter told Kaiser. Gunter has long been a virulent critic of the dubious treatments and health plans of women. On its website, it demystifies the claims of well-being made by various publications and companies, including the GOOP of Gwyenth Paltrow.

"I do not blame patients for going to the doctor and trust them, I blame the doctors for saying that it can help them in one way or another," she continued.

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