Complaint Review: Dr. Jay Davidson Davidson LLC (Humacao Puerto Rico) - Humacao

A relative entered into a 9-month contract for Dr. Jay Davidson’s health program through his company Vibrant Life LLC (now Davidson LLC). His website claimed, “We can help you make the massive health transformation you need so that you can live the life YOU deserve,” by giving “knowledge and tools you need to continue your journey of healthy, happy living after working with us so that you no longer have to ‘rely’ on doctors for the rest of your life.”

Those are some amazing claims, but here’s what my relative actually got for the $1,100 a month fee: one phone call per month and a few emails with a Jay Davidson associate named Scott Richmond, a chiropractor in Urbandale, Iowa. Her calls, which appeared to account for about $1,000 of the fee, typically lasted an hour or less.

The agreement requires the person seeking health-coaching services to pay the entire amount of the contract period even if the person wants out before it expires. There are no refunds either. If this program is such a great thing, offering “million-dollar knowledge” as Scott described it, why force people to pay the full fee if they exit early? Perhaps it has something to do with what is not disclosed prior to the agreement going into effect.

What my relative did not know, until after signing the contract, was the “holistic solutions” they recommended to her included potentially painful and dangerous procedures that could have long-term harmful effects and leave patient in chronic pain.

After signing the contract my family member was told she should be evaluated in Tijuana, Mexico, for a procedure that involves scrapping her jaw bone. She later learned through research that the procedure is condemned by the American Association of Endodontists and that such surgery often requires multiple surgical procedures to achieve some pain relief. The National Council Against Health Fraud has information about the dangers of this procedure as well in its “Position Paper on Amalgam Fillings.”

Neither Jay nor Scott mentioned that the Mexico bio dental clinic recommended to her is a Hal Huggins Alliance Member. The State of Colorado revoked Dr. Huggins’ dental license for, among other things, what the state called “misleading, deceptive, or false” advertising; “grossly negligent dental practice;” failing to refer patients to physicians; and “unnecessary laboratory tests."

In addition, Jay Davidson's website states, “We all have expert knowledge in working with Lyme disease, drainage, detoxification (such as heavy metal detox), and much more,” but the site fails to disclose the potential detox risks, nor does it mention the advisability of having other medical personnel being part of the monitoring process.

After signing the agreement my relative was told that it was her responsibility to find someone medically qualified (i.e. a real expert) to monitor her during the heavy metal detox protocol. After signing the agreement she was told the heavy metal detox period could last 2-4 years, way beyond her 9-month agreement. I could go on, but you get the idea. 

Another huge red flag is the “PSc.D” credential Jay and Scott tout from the Pastoral Medical Association (PMA), which provides "pastoral provider licenses.” Dr. Stephen Barrett, a retired medical doctor and founder of Quackwatch.org, describes the PSc.D as a credential one can buy. If there’s a problem, the PMA requires that an ecclesiastical tribunal settle all disputes against PMA-credentialed practitioners, and arbitration is the only remedy for wrongdoing. As of this writing, the PMA refuses to disclose what is involved in its credentials process. I wonder why.

Based on my relative’s experience, it seems to me that Jay and Scott play a semantics game with their health coaching language, talking out of both sides of their mouths. They charged my relative high monthly fees for very minimal and questionable work. They suggested protocols for potentially risky procedures based on their “expert knowledge,” while also claiming they are not giving medical advice or treatment. They also refused to take any responsibility whatsoever for disclosing material information such as risks about the highly controversial and potentially dangerous protocols they recommend.

I suggest anyone considering such services first do some research on Jay Davidson. A screen shot of a HealerPedia website indicates Jay is a “General MD,” yet his only licensed credential appears to be “PSc.D” with the Pastoral Medical Association. He is not a licensed medical doctor in California (I checked), where he lived and worked for many years until he and his family moved to Puerto Rico in the spring of 2018. The California Board of Chiropractic Examiners indicates that his chiropractor license expired May 31, 2018.

In addition, it does not appear that his company, Vibrant Life LLC, was ever qualified to do business in California. My relative’s agreement was with Vibrant Life LLC, yet there is proof on her monthly credit card statements that Jay Davison withdrew funds from her account under his own name, in apparent violation of LLC law. The address on his website for his new company, Davidson LLC, can be traced to a private mailbox (PMB) on what appears to be a solar farm in Puerto Rico.

As a practicing chiropractor, Scott Richmond works under the American Chiropractic Association’s code of ethics, which states, “DCs [Doctor of Chiropractic] need to make sure that patients understand their treatment options so that they can make their own decision about proposed treatments.”

While he promotes his overall healthcare experience and knowledge to sell his services, Scott seems to believe he can put on his PMA hat when convenient and use the association as a shield to try to avoid his ethical duty as a chiropractor to inform those he counsels about the risks of the treatment options he recommends. That’s because he believes, as he stated, that it is up to the individuals he coaches to do their own due diligence for the people and procedures he and Jay recommend.

I agree with Scott on one point: Conduct your own careful due diligence on these two before even considering doing business with them. They do not appear to be regulated by or accountable to anyone.