Quebec's College of Physicians says the operator of a Pointe Claire health clinic is illegally practicing medicine.
Ken Montizambert operates the Tri-Med Clinic.
He will appear in civil court Monday to face 12 charges of illegally practicing medicine.
Montizambert has a very loyal clientele – his page on the online doctor-rating website RateMDs.com features a number of glowing testimonials.
But the problem is he's not a doctor; He is a naturopath and osteopath and he's being accused of doing things only doctors are permitted to do, like prescribing medication.
The college of physicians wants to shut him down. It says Montizambert is potentially dangerous.
The 12 charges he faces stem from a series of undercover visits made by one of the college's investigators.
They range from making false claims to using potentially dangerous objects to practice public medicine.
CTV News went to Montizambert’s office to ask him about the allegations Friday.
He denies that he is dangerous and said he is going to keep accepting patients into next week.
“I'm going to defend who I am and I'm going to prove the falsehood related to these charges,” he said through the door of his clinic.
The college of physicians said it can't comment on the case while it's pending.
But Quebec’s largest osteopathy organization says Montizambert isn't a member and they don't support his practices.
“This is the type of the problem that shows we need a regulation for osteopathy in Quebec,” said Isabelle Coindre, president of Osteopathy Quebec.
But even with serious charges pending Montizambert's patients aren't worried.
One woman, who came from Ottawa to see Montizambert, said she has faith in him.
“I take my health in my own hands, I trust what he gives me, I listen to my own gut and I go with it. And I have friends saw doctors for years and years and nobody could help them - he did,” she said.
Joe Schwarcz, McGill professor and director of that university’s Office for Science and Society, says he isn’t surprised people are sticking with Montizambert.
“There are so many conditions which basically resolve by themselves and then of course there's the power of the mind and the placebo effect and you lump all of those together and you can get satisfaction,” he explained.
