In a stunning victory for consumers, a judge has ordered HRC Medical to pay $18 million to customers of the business's hormone replacement clinics.
The clinics which were here in Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville have been closed.
When it was in operation, the Franklin-based company widely advertised its special hormone replacement therapy, touting its supposed safety and amazing results.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates first exposed the clinics six years ago about how some patients received too much and suffered extreme side effects.
A year later, the Tennessee Attorney General sued HRC claiming the company had made false claims. The case has been tied up in court ever since. Under this new ruling, HRC's owners, Dr. Dan Hale, his brother, Don, and Don's wife, Dixie, may never run a business like this again making similar claims.
While Attorney General Herbert Slatery said in a statement Friday, the ruling sends a "clear message" about HRC's advertising practices, it is unlikely that consumers will ever see the full $18 million. Since closing HRC, the Hales have maintained they have very few assets left.
