Unlicenced Practitioners

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION: UNLICENCED PRACTITIONERS

Re: SARGE SANDHU, aka NARINDER SINGH SANDHU

And re: SAM SAMRAI aka SAM HARJIT KAUR SAMRAI

Dated as of November 4, 2014

It is an offence to practice naturopathic medicine or to hold oneself out as a naturopathic doctor under section 51 of the Health Professions Act.

The College investigates unlicenced practitioners and takes legal action against them where necessary.

Sarge Sandhu (“Sandhu”) and Sam Samrai (“Samrai”) are not registrants of the College and are not licensed to practice any form of medicine under the Health Professions Act (“Act”).

In 2012, the College received a report about Sandhu and Samrai. Upon investigation by the College, it was discovered that Sandhu and Samrai were improperly holding themselves out as naturopathic physicians, contrary to the “reserved titles” provisions of the Naturopath Physicians Regulation (“Regulation”), and were offering “proliferative therapy, also known as prolotherapy”, which involves the administration of a substance by injection into a patient’s body, contrary to the “restricted activities” provisions of the Regulation. The College brought these violations of the law to the attention of Sandhu and Samrai, and they undertook in writing on March 26, 2012, to immediately cease and desist from further violations.

Following the receipt of further reports, the College undertook undercover investigations of Sandhu and Samrai in 2014, which disclosed that, contrary to their written undertaking with the College, they were engaging in the practice of naturopathic medicine, including offering and administering injectable therapies without proper license. As a result, the College commenced legal proceedings in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, seeking permanent injunctive relief from the court to restrain their violations of the Act and Regulation.

As a result of the College’s legal proceedings against them, Sandhu and Samrai have entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement. They have provided written assurances that they will each refrain from using “reserved titles” listed in section 3(1) of the Regulation and from engaging in “restricted activities” listed in section 5(1) of the Regulation, as that list may be amended from time to time. Further, they have agreed with the College to a Consent Order of the legal proceedings against them.

Members of the public are cautioned that, unless and until Sandhu and Samrai are admitted as registrants of the College, they are not to be regarded as naturopathic physicians or as qualified to practice naturopathic medicine. Further, the use of the “DNM” designation (“Doctor of Natural Medicine”) is merely a trade mark and is not a designation recognized under the Act, and should not be confused with the “ND” designation (“naturopathic doctor”) licensed by the College.