Clinics offering treatment for dehydration and hangovers under scrutiny for unlicensed practice

by Guy Page

With retail “IV therapy” clinics and “medical spas” becoming increasingly common in Vermont, the Vermont Boards of Medical Practice, Nursing, Osteopathic Medicine, and Pharmacy released a joint statement clarifying the legal and regulatory requirements that apply to these services.  The joint advisory statement will be sent out to relevant licensees – including medical doctors, nurses, physician assistants, cosmetologists, and others – to provide guidance on IV therapy.

The state medical boards are part of the Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. 

“IV therapy” is a practice of administering intravenous “cocktails” of additives to saline that may include vitamins, minerals, or prescription drugs, a recent SoS statement said. Offered in retail therapy clinics or “medical spas,” IV therapy is marketed as a treatment for conditions such as dehydration, fatigue, and hangovers, or to aid individuals with athletic recovery or weight loss. The Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) and Board of Medical Practice (BMP) have recently received reports of inappropriate activities occurring at IV therapy clinics/spas, including out-of-scope practice and unlicensed practice of medicine.

According to an online search, IV therapy businesses in Vermont include:

• The Health Bar in Burlington, billing itself as “‘The “Gold Standard’ for IV vitamins & minerals” offering “a time-tested mixture to enhance wellness and restore hydration.”
• Bare Medical Spa in Burlington
• And Preventive Medicine in Colchester, offering “a few IV options including: Vitamin/mineral IV containing a blend of preservative-free vitamin C, B vitamins, and magnesium. A glutathione IV that contains 1200mg of glutathione—an important antioxidant.’

The Secretary of State’s office wants everyone to understand: IV therapy is the practice of medicine, and the state’s rules of the practice of medicine apply.

“It’s important to be clear that offering and providing IV therapy indisputably constitutes the practice of medicine,” explained Office of Professional Regulation Director Kevin Rushing. “Therefore, strict rules around prescription authority, prescription validity, drug compounding, and the administering of IVs all apply.”

The joint statement clarifies that only certain licensed medical practitioners may prescribe saline IV products, and patients cannot self-prescribe by choosing an IV “cocktail” from a menu. All IV fluids, even plain saline, are considered prescription drugs, and mixing in additives is known as “compounding,” which invokes strong regulations.

“This is about ensuring patient welfare and providing clear guidance to licensees about their scope of practice and professional obligations regarding IV therapy,” said Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas. “When we’re dealing with the potential for serious infection or death from improperly administered IV products, it’s crucial that we get out in front of this burgeoning practice and uphold the clear medical practice laws.”

The full joint statement is the position of the Board of Medical Practice and of OPR, including the Boards of Nursing, Osteopathic Medicine, and Pharmacy.

Parts of this news story were sourced directly from a statement published by the Vermont Secretary of State’s office.