| For Immediate Release Case # 09CF2349 September 24, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
SELF-PROCLAIMED NATURAL DOCTOR CHARGED WITH TREATING CANCER PATIENTS WITHOUT
A LICENSE AND PRACTICING MEDICINE
WHILE RUNNING ILLEGAL HMO
*Defendant received publicity in Orange County Register feature article for “curing” so-called patients
SANTA ANA – An unlicensed man claiming to be a natural-medicine “doctor” has been arrested on charges of posing as a “doctor” and claiming to heal serious or incurable diseases including cancer and AIDS. Daryn Wayne Peterson, 37, Las Vegas, NV, is charged with one felony count each of the unauthorized practice of medicine, operating a health care service plan (HMO) without a license, treating cancer without a license, offering an unapproved drug for cancer treatment, and one misdemeanor count of misrepresenting himself as a licensed medical practitioner. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison if convicted. Peterson was arrested today by Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) investigators with the assistance of Riverside County Sheriff’s Department deputies. Peterson is being held on $20,000 bail. His date and Department are to be determined.
On June 10, 2009, the Orange County Register published a color-picture article on the front page on the Life/Wellness section of the newspaper titled A rejection of Western medicine with subheading, Clients swear by natural treatments, but many others doubtful. An online version of the same story was posted the day before with the headline, ‘Natural doctor’ says he can cure cancer, AIDS.
The article featured Peterson, a self-proclaimed doctor, claiming to cure cancer and AIDS, and encouraging “patients” to cancel their health insurance policies. In the article, Peterson represents that his supplements have cured “cancer, AIDS, peanut allergies and heart failure.” That morning, alarmed by the potential health risks to the community and the recklessness of the article, the OCDA began an investigation into the matter.
Peterson is accused of operating Natural Health Care Organization (www.naturalhealthcoverage.com), a website offering “Natural Health Insurance” and claiming to provide pre-paid “subscribers” with unlimited access by email, telephone or in person to their “own Natural Doctor,” who has “success in stopping disease without drugs and surgery.” None of the purported “doctors” listed on the website are licensed to practice medicine in California. Peterson is accused of posting “testimonials” on the website, claiming to be from “patients,” asserting that Natural Health Care Organization “doctors” have cured diseases including leukemia, diabetes, crohn’s disease, prostate cancer, migraines, and restless leg syndrome.