[Resolved]  OPTM Health Care — Fraud & False Advertising

My mother suffers from chronic lower back pain. We had seen the half-page advertisements of OPTM Health Care in various national newspapers which promised pain relief including from back pain. In fact, their website claims as follows:

"These Phyto-Medecines, uses live enzymes of plant cells which when applied externally on the skin, enters through the pores of the skin and is carried with the help of bloody to the affected areas. Once the human cell and plant cell come in contact with each other they share the properties of either re-growing or healing a damage part in our body naturally. These products have no chemicals or preservatives and thus are 100% safe to be used even on a new born baby to a pregnant women and also works for ages above 90 years. It is a unique invention of its type has the company has already been able to heal millions through-out the world. This is the only medication available in the market which can help you get rid of your pain for ever."

We visited the OPTM Health Care centre in Delhi at GK-II. After speaking to the doctor/physiotherapist there, we were assured that my mother would be pain-free at the end of their treatment of 42 days!. The treatment involves massage with a special oil- three times a day, a foot soak and a mixture to be taken with a glass of water. One massage had to be done at the centre itself. Further, all pain-killers, calcium and muscle relaxant drugs had to be stopped. We were first offered a trial package of 4 days- (which costs around Rs. 13, 000). We took that package, and since the massage gave an initial relief, we took the 42 day package (which costs more than Rs. One Lakh!!). The entire payment was demanded upfront. My mother started the treatment and was given massages three times a day along with heat therapy. However, her condition started becoming worse instead of improving and we approached the doctors/staff there to understand if we should continue with the treatment. We were repeatedly informed and assured that increase in pain is normal (bcoz the cells are regenerating) and the pain would start reducing in a few days and we should continue the therapy. Relying on the assurance, my mother continued the therapy and was also abstaining from the pain-killers as per the strict instructions of the staff at OPTM. The treatment continued and my mother's condition progressively deteriorated, however, the same assurance was given by the doctors at OPTM time and again. Finally, I decided to speak to Dr. Apurba Ganguly who is the main doctor at OPTM. However, this was more difficult than getting through the President of the United States! I was categorically informed that Dr. Ganguly does not speak to patients over the phone and I would have to visit Kolkata from Delhi if I wish to speak to him! Anyway, after much pleading and requests, I was finally given the number of one Mr. Das who is the regional head. I spoke to him and he assured me that he would make me speak to Dr. Ganguly. I chased him for about three days, to no avail. The elusive Dr. Ganguly refused to speak to a distraught patient who just wanted to know if the treatment should be discontinued. The decision was soon taken out of our hands as on the 40th day of the treatment, my mother's condition had deteriorated so much that she was put on immediate bed-rest. So, the end-result of 40 trips to OPTM, spending over One Lakh, and chasing the doctors at OPTM Health Care was a complete deterioration in the health of my mother. Finally, we approached surgeons at various hospitals and she was given allopathic treatment. It is noteworthy that OPTM Health Care is continuing to advertise in a big way in the national dailies and more and more people are flocking to their centre in the hope that some relief may be in store. Relying on false assurances, we spent so much money on the treatment- with no results. OPTM Health Care should clearly mention in their advertisement that the treatment may or may not work, and also their doctors/staff should be candid enough to admit that their treatment is a hit or miss. The advertisement is clearly false and misleading and OPTM should not dupe desperate people in pain into believing that their treatment would definitely work. Also, Dr. Apurba Ganguly, the founder, should have the decency to speak to the patients over the phone- you just cant be too busy or arrogant for that. I would advise anyone who is thinking of going to OPTM to do a thorough research and talk to atleast 5 patients and their experience before embarking on the OPTM journey- if at all.