State Drops Investigation Into Hippocrates Health Institute

The West Palm Beach health clinic at the center of shady allegations and legal action got some good news this week. The state's Department of Health has dropped its investigation into Hippocrates Health Institute's head Brian Clement and his wife, Anna Maire. This comes after the department last month sent cease-and-desist letters on the Clements for allegedly representing themselves as medical doctors. The clinic vowed to fight the charges, and now the state has apparently cried uncle. 

Hippocrates, a high-end health clinic located on a lush, resort-like 50-acre campus in West Palm Beach, boasts that it increases customers' health with a regimen of "raw living foods, stress-reduction, and healthy living habits, as well as holistic-based treatments."

Detractors, however, have claimed that those treatments drift into the medical field. Court records indicate that the institute is currently being sued by former medical professionals who worked at the facility. The institute also has come under fire in Canada for a situation involving the treatment of two 11-year-old girls diagnosed with leukemia — one of whom died. The facility is technically registered as a massage establishment. Clement is not a medical doctor but holds a doctorate in naturopathic medicine and a nutrition PhD. 

The department's Natalie Spindle confirmed to New Times that the investigation into the Clements has been dropped. 

"The Department of Health has closed its Unlicensed Activity complaint against Brian R. Clement and Anna Maria Clement of Hippocrates Health Institute, West Palm Beach, without further action," she stated. "After further review of the investigative materials, it was determined that there is insufficient evidence to pursue further legal action in this matter. A letter [embedded below] was sent to both parties instructing them to disregard the Notice to Cease and Desist and the Uniform Unlicensed Activity Citation served upon them." 

Spindle added that there were no further documents related to the investigation, so at this point we don't really know for sure what the state's look at the Clements included. Canada's National Post is reporting that a state investigator went undercover to the facility and was examined by Clement. 



Hippocrates greeted the news with a news release on Tuesday. “The Department of Health’s decision to remove these charges conclusively demonstrates what we’ve said all along – that my wife and I are licensed nutritionists who have not and do not practice medicine,” said Brian Clement said in a statement. “Anyone can make an allegation with limited merit or proof, but that doesn’t mean that accusation will hold up to the exhaustive scrutiny the Department deploys as part of its investigation. We appreciate the comprehensive process the investigators followed and are not at all surprised by their conclusions.”