The College of Naturopathic Physicians of B.C. has suspended a Maple Ridge naturopath from conducting aesthetic procedures involving injections until an investigation into a complaint is completed.
Dr. Allan Strauss, a naturopathic physician who practises at Salveo Naturopathic and Skin Care, was the subject of a public notification by the college, posted Oct. 11.
It says an inquiry committee has ordered limits and conditions be imposed upon Strauss, pending the completion of its investigation into a complaint received under Section 32 of the Health Professions Act.
According to the CNPBC notification, the inquiry committee issued the order based on allegations that he may have “failed to obtain informed consent to a treatment before providing a treatment of Phenol to a patient; misled a patient as to the nature and/or identity of substances with which she was injected, and specifically, that he may have misled her into thinking that she would be injected with Botox or another botulinum-toxin-based substance, rather than Phenol; injected Phenol into a patient for a cosmetic purpose.”
Strauss’ certifications in aesthetic procedures involving injections are suspended.
He may not inject any substance for a cosmetic purpose, said the college.
“The committee was satisfied that the information available indicated that action was necessary to protect the public during the investigation due to the seriousness of the alleged conduct, and a real risk of harm to the public,” said the notification.
“The committee took the least severe interim action it considered necessary to address immediate public protection concerns.”
Strauss said the suspension will not be permanent, but had no other comment about the case, saying patient privacy prevents him from discussing the issue.
Last year, Strauss was fined $10,000 and handed other sanctions by the college, including having his practice suspended from Oct. 18 to 25, 2015, and was reprimanded for having purchased and injected counterfeit products into patients without notifying them.
Strauss consented to supervision from the college, including random spot audits by an inspector over a two-year period.
He also agreed to provide a monthly list of patients, including contact information and the services he provided to them, for a period of one year.
He also agreed to complete a six-week correspondence course in ethics for naturopathic doctors.