INDIANAPOLIS — A Carmel holistic doctor once accused of misconduct will not be disciplined, a state panel decided Thursday.
The Indiana Medical Licensing Board agreed to dismiss the state’s case against Dr. Clifford Fetters, a licensed physician and president at Health and Wellness in Carmel, which offers holistic cancer treatments.
As WRTV Investigates reported, in May 2023, the state filed a 28-page complaint against Dr. Fetters outlining concerns from four patients identified as J.H., J.M., W.S., and W.ST.
In its complaint, the state said Fetters was “unfit to practice” and accused the doctor of false and misleading advertising including touting ozone therapy as being therapeutic for cancer. The complaint alleged Fetters failed to inform patients of the side effects of tests and treatments.
A year and a half later, in November 2024, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office filed a Motion to Dismiss its complaint against Fetters.
Thursday, the Indiana Medical Licensing Board heard the state’s request to drop the case.
“The state believes it lacks evidence to continue with the charges,” Deputy Prosecutor Carah Rochester told the board. “The state does have the ethical and professional responsibility to dismiss those charges.”
Indiana Medical Licensing Board members expressed concerns.
"It seemed this case involved, for lack of a better word, shaking down patients and giving them false hopes,” said Dr. Kirk Masten, a board member.
"The allegations are quite concerning,” said Dr. John Strobel, board president. “It seems these patients and their families were in fairly vulnerable positions."
Fetters did not appear at the hearing and was not required to be there. His attorney, Bob Saint, explained the patients fall under Indiana’s Right to Try statute, a law that allows terminally ill patients to try experimental treatments.
"It was clear there was no violation and in order to proceed with discipline, a disciplinary complaint, you have to have a violation, and there just wasn’t one,” said Saint. “You have to let them know this is an experimental treatment. Dr. Fetters clearly made all those types of disclosures.”
Saint said when the state filed its complaint in May 2023, it did not have all the medical records, including patient consent forms.
“It is clear from the medical charts that when they were coming, they were not sold a bill of goods,” said Saint. “He even went further and said most doctors in the country would not deem this to be the appropriate standard of care. He made no guarantees, no assurances.”
Tim Hubbard’s wife, Julie, was a patient of Dr. Fetters.
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He says Julie was consumed with taking supplements and losing weight as part of her treatment.
“I think mentally, she was torn between the supplements and enjoying the last days that she had,” said Hubbard. “It was torture sitting there and watching someone you love wither away and knowing there's nothing you can do about it."
Julie Hubbard died on February 3, 2017, after a three-year battle with brain cancer.
Hubbard filed a complaint in August 2017 against Dr. Fetters with the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.
“I said ‘Well, I need to stop him,’” said Hubbard. “You can't make promises to people you know ain't gonna come true and destroy people's lives with hopes that isn't going to happen.”
Hubbard showed WRTV Investigates receipts showing Julie spent more than $8,000 on doctor visits and supplements.
Deputy Attorney General Carah Rochester said they did not find any evidence Fetters’ fees were unreasonable.
Hubbard wants to see Dr. Fetters lose his license.
However, Fetters will not face any discipline.
“We certainly understand it’s a difficult situation for the families and the board in considering the state’s motion,” said Rochester. “If there’s no violation, there’s no state action the state can ethically bring. That’s where we are today.”
The Medical Licensing Board agreed to dismiss the state’s complaint.
Fetters’ attorney declined an on-camera interview after the hearing.
How to find information on your doctor
When you are choosing a doctor, you can put their name into the Indiana Licensing Litigation Portal.
It will show any complaints against their license and any disciplinary action taken by the Medical Licensing Board.
You can find additional information at the Indiana Patient’s Compensation Fund Public Database.
You can also verify a physician’s license on the state’s Professional Licensing Agency website using their lookup tool.
In most cases, a doctor can continue practicing while the case is pending unless the state can prove a physician represents a clear and immediate danger to the public.
You can contact WRTV Investigates Kara Kenney at kara.kenney@wrtv.com or 317-432-9704.
