In the city of San Diego, a prominent and highly regarded doctor, known as a “rock star” in his field, has recently pleaded guilty to the misbranding of cosmetic drugs. This doctor, Dr. Tien Tan Vo, gained recognition for his efforts in testing tens of thousands of individuals for COVID-19 during the early months of the pandemic in a heavily affected California desert community.
According to federal prosecutors, Dr. Vo has admitted that the injectable botulinum toxin and lip fillers used in his Imperial Valley clinics between November 2016 and October 2020 were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These cosmetic drugs were obtained from a “med spa” operator in Mexicali, Mexico, who smuggled them into the United States without proper declaration. Dr. Vo has further confessed to receiving a total of $100,767 for services performed with these unapproved drugs and devices.
As part of his plea agreement, Dr. Vo, who is 47 years old, has agreed to return the payments he received and pay a fine of $201,534. Additionally, he has agreed to provide restitution to his victims. No response was received when attempting to contact Dr. Vo’s offices on Thursday night.
Notably, Dr. Vo’s clinics saw a tremendous volume of visitors in 2020, as motorists lined up for hours to get tested for COVID-19. This was particularly significant as Imperial County, where the clinics are located, experienced one of the highest infection rates in California. The county, with its predominantly Latino and low-income population, struggled to cope with the pandemic, and its two hospitals were overwhelmed.
Despite the misbranding charges, Dr. Vo’s dedication to his patients during the pandemic was commendable. He frequently delivered meals and checked in on patients at their homes.
Dr. Vo is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16th for his involvement in the receipt of misbranded drugs and his role as an accessory to the accomplice who smuggled the unapproved drugs from Mexico. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison.
Andrew Haden, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, emphasized the importance of trust between doctors and their communities. He stated, “All members of our community should be able to trust that their doctor is acting in their best interest. Through this prosecution, we are protecting patients from unapproved and potentially unsafe drugs and will always seek to thwart those who would exploit patients for financial gain.”
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