1-800-GET-THIN
1-800-GET-THIN is an American marketing company with headquarters in Beverly Hills, California, United States. The company is a vanity 800 numbers and is also a trademarked brand name use to market "insurance services, namely, insurance eligibility review and verification in the health industry"[1].
The company mostly advertises insurance verification for weight loss with laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, commonly referred to as a Lap-Band.
Company history
1-800-GET-THIN was incorporated by Robert Silverman in February 2010. Robert Silverman resigned as president of the company on February 28, 2012 "to pursue other career opportunities."[2]
Marketing practices
1-800-GET-THIN's advertising practices have included billboards, print materials, as well as radio and television advertisements. Some commercials featured celebrity American board certified internist Drew Pinsky, better known as "Dr. Drew."
In 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that 1-800-GET-THIN's advertisements were misleading and failed to provide mandatory information about the risks,[3][4] and U.S. House members have called for a congressional investigation in 2012.[5][6][7]
Allergan
On February 2, 2012 Allergan, Inc., which manufactures the Lap-Band, announced it will no longer sell the weight-loss device to companies affiliated with the 1-800-GET-THIN marketing company.[8][9][10] On February 7, 2012 two clinics affiliated with 1-800-GET-THIN said they have temporarily halted Lap-Band surgeries.[11][12]
Safety concerns
Three patients in Southern California have died since 2010 following Lap-Band procedures performed at two of the clinics contracted with 1-800-GET-THIN, according to lawsuits. Neither 1-800-GET-THIN, nor the contracted centers, nor the doctors who performed the Lap-Band procedures were found liable or guilty of any wrongdoing.
Insurance investigation
The California Department of Insurance is investigating surgery centers contracted with 1-800-GET-THIN for alleged insurance fraud.[13][14][15][16] Published reports and lawsuits stated that Michael Omidi and his older brother Julian Omidi (aka Kambiz Omidi) own and control all of the surgery centers as well as the 1-800-GET-THIN marketing firm.[16][11][12][17] The brothers were featured on the plastic surgery reality show Dr. 90210 in 2005.[18] In 2008 Julian Omidi's medical license was revoked by the Medical Board of California for not disclosing on a license application that he attended the University of California, Irvine from 1986 to 1990. The university expelled him in 1990 for his involvement in the burglary of exam papers. In its license revocation order, the medical board stated that Julian Omidi "has a penchant for dishonesty" and that his "misrepresentation and dishonesty... go to the core of his ability to practice his profession."[18][16][19][20] In 2008 the medical board placed Michael Omidi on three years' probation after finding him "grossly negligent" in treating liposuction patients in 2005.[18][16]
References
- ^ http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4010:40d8go.6.1
- ^ http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/02/business/la-fi-get-thin-20120302
- ^ FDA issues Warning Letters for misleading advertising of Lap-Band (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dec. 13, 2011)
- ^ FDA accuses 1-800-GET-THIN of using misleading Lap-Band ads (Los Angeles Times, December 14, 2011)
- ^ House members call for probe into Lap-Band safety, marketing (Los Angeles Times, Jan 20, 2012)
- ^ Congress questions 1-800-GET-THIN ads (United Press International, Jan 21, 2012)
- ^ U.S. House of Representatives letter, January 20, 2012)
- ^ Lap-Band makers won't sell it to 1-800-GET-THIN (Associated Press, February 2, 2012)
- ^ Allergan halts Lap-Band sales to surgery firm (Orange County Register, Feb. 2, 2012)
- ^ Allergan halts Lap-Band sales to 1-800-GET-THIN clinics (Los Angeles Times, February 2, 2012)
- ^ a b Lap-Band surgeries to be cut at West Hills, Beverly Hills centers (Los Angeles Daily News, February 7, 2012)
- ^ a b Clinics halt Lap-Band surgeries (Los Angeles Times, February 8, 2012)
- ^ Insurance Company Targets 1-800-GET-THIN (NBC News, Jan 27, 2012 )
- ^ State launches Lap-Band investigation (Los Angeles Times, Jan 26, 2012)
- ^ State Launches Lap-Band Surgery Fraud Investigation (KTLA, January 27, 2012)
- ^ a b c d Legal Problems Pile Up for '1-800-Get-Thin' Surgeons (Medscape Medical News, February 2, 2012)
- ^ Whistleblower complaint vs. 1-800-GET-THIN (Superior Court of California)
- ^ a b c Behind those lap-band ads (Los Angeles Times, February 14, 2010)
- ^ Medical Board of California vs. Julian Omidi M.D.
- ^ 2 Former UCI Students Plead Guilty to Stealing Tests (Los Angeles Times, December 5, 1991)