Last year, Peter got in touch with us about Dr Rochelle Wilson. Dr Wilson practices in the beach-side settlement of Paekakariki, about 40 minutes north of Wellington. Peter told us Dr Wilson had recommended supplements sold through a scheme that would cost his relative $1500 to join plus an ongoing $100 a month to buy the pills.
We were sufficiently concerned by what we heard to investigate further. Unfortunately, we found this wasn't an isolated case. This writer went to see Dr Wilson and was offered a similar deal.
Dr Wilson and Mannatech
Dr Wilson is a registered medical practitioner. She also sells nutritional supplements manufactured by a Texas-based company called Mannatech. You won't find Mannatech products in shops. Its supplements are sold mainly by multi-level marketing.
The people selling Mannatech products are called associates. They earn money by keeping a percentage of the price of each product they sell. But the most effective way they can increase their income is to sign up others to sell the supplements. Not only do they earn bonuses for every person signed up, but they also earn commission on any product that the new associates sell.
The appointment
After Peter contacted us, I made an appointment to see Dr Wilson, presenting with general symptoms of feeling tired and unwell. Dr Wilson carried out a routine exam and sent me off for blood tests. About a week later, I phoned to get the results. Dr Wilson told me the test results were fine and our story may have ended here. However, she then went on to recommend nutritional supplements.
Dr Wilson did first tell me she was recommending the supplements in her role as an associate of a nutraceutical company rather than as a GP. But we think that letting doctors do this at all is problematic. In our view, it's reasonable for patients to assume from the doctor-patient relationship that the advice they receive from their doctor is based on that doctor's medical expertise.
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