A Skeptical Look at John Parks Trowbridge, M.D.

John Parks Trowbridge, M.D. (b. 1947) operates Life Center Houston in Humble, Texas, a northern suburb of Houston. His clinic’s website states:

My passion is finding solutions for chronic conditions that take people out of their lives, that cause disability and discomfort, that make life less worth living. Over the past 30+ years, I have developed and refined elegant hormonal, nutritional, metabolic, and other treatment programs that have resurrected their vitality, comfort, activity, and appearance for thousands of patients. Are you next? [1]

This report indicates why I recommend against using his services.

Educational History

Trowbridge graduated from Stanford University in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biological sciences and received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve Medical School in 1976. Records from the Texas Medical Board indicate that he completed a 1-year rotating surgical internship followed by 16 months of residency training in urologic surgery. He began practicing in Texas in 1978 and adopted his current clinic name in 1996. He also uses the names Life Celebrating Health and Life Celebrating Health Association. His curriculum vitae states that in 1985 he received a Diplomate in Preventive Medicine from the Medical Research Institute of the Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne) for masters-level graduate studies in nutrition [2].

Trowbridge’s CV indicates that at various times, he has been an officer, director, or trustee of the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine, the American College for Advancement in Medicine, the Great Lakes College Clinical Medicine (which became the International College of Integrative Medicine), the National Health Federation, the American Preventive Medical Association, and the NCR Doctors Association [2]. All of these have promoted nonstandard medical approaches and most have opposed government regulation of health care products and/or services. Trowbridge’s CV also mentions that he was certified by the American Board of Chelation Therapy, the American Board of Biologic Reconstructive Therapy, and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. However, none of these has been recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, which sets the certification standards in the United States. The first two boards no longer exist.

Government Actions

In 1990, the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners charged Trowbridge with false advertising in connection with “nonsurgical face lifts,” chelation therapy, and cytotoxic testing. The chelation claims included “makes stronger bones,” and “reverses or delays aging,” [3] After further consideration, however, the board dismissed these charges [4]. In 1998, without admitting fault, Trowbridge signed an agreed order under which he was reprimanded for using testimonials from patients who described their medical condition and said they had benefited his “reconstructive therapy.” The board did not dispute the claimed results but stated that Texas law prohibited the use of patient testimonials in advertising [5].

Trowbridge has also had tax trouble. Court records indicate that during the 1990s, he refused to pay federal income taxes. Searching the PACER database, I found 15 relevant cases filed between 1999 and 2017, eight in federal district courts and seven in the U.S. Court of Appeals. In 2003, a U.S. Tax Court judge ruled that Trowbridge had refused to pay taxes on his income for 2001 through 2007 and ordered him to pay more than $900,000 in back taxes plus a $25,000 penalty [6,7]. In one of these rulings, the judge agreed that Trowbridge could not avoid tax liability by shifting income to the Life Center Houston Business Trust (1996 and 1997) or the Life Choices Business Trust (for 1997), which the U.S. Government asserted were sham corporations. When Trowbridge appealed this ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that it was frivolous and ordered him to pay a $6,000 penalty for filing it [8].

In 2014, the Government calculated that Trowbridge owed $3,286,335.47 for federal income taxes, penalties, and interest accrued for the tax periods 1993 through 1997 [9]. However, the proceedings dragged on until 2018, when the court noted that Trowbridge had “been fighting the IRS for decades, contesting his tax liabilities from as early as 1991” and had been “repeatedly sanctioned for frivolous conduct” that had included assertions that he (a) was not a citizen of the United States, a resident of Texas, or a taxpayer subject to federal tax laws, (b) had no contract with the IRS, and (c) had not accepted any benefits from the United States [10]. I have been unable to find out how much he was eventually assessed or how much the IRS was able to collect.

Questionable Claims

Trowbridge’s website offers stem cell therapy, chelation therapy, reconstructive therapy, nutritional medicine, and treatment for “deep blood fungus,” the yeast syndrome,” bursitis, joint pain, Type 2 diabetes, and congestive heart failure. Many of his approaches are far outside of mainsteam medical diagnosis and treatment. The site says, for example:

• Stem cells “can bolster your body healing where they’re needed. . . . Patients who have seen their pains improve (even disappear) have more energy to recharge their batteries and live the life they want!” [11] (The FDA is warning the public to avoid treatments that are not FDA-approved enrolled in an approved research study [12].)
• “If a patient sees several doctors for their symptoms–which may actually be a wide array of things—and comes back with no improvement and the same problem, it’s likely safe to say the problem is yeast overgrowth.” [11]  [It is absurd to claim that most people with hard-to-fix symptoms are suffering from a yeast problem [13]. Trowbridge’s list of conditions yeast can cause [14] correctly includes actual infections, but it also includes lupus and multiple sclerosis, which is absurd.]
• “Chelation Therapy gets to the root of the cause of so many illnesses—heart disease, strokes, macular degeneration, peripheral artery disease and gangrene, others—that’s toxic heavy metals damaging your functions. Chelation reduces these poisons, getting them out of the body. . . . Many patients are thrilled to find relief from daily pains, shortness of breath, and other limitations . . . and are overjoyed at a brighter future.” [11] [The conditions Trowbridge lists are not caused by heavy metal toxicity, and chelation therapy has not been proven useful any of them.]
• “Chelation therapy can be an all-around treatment” and “can be effective” in the treatment or management of  diabetes, congestive heart failure, early kidney failure, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia. Lyme disease, and many other conditions [15]. [Chelation therapy has not been proven useful any of these conditions.]
• “My clinical experience suggests that anti-fungal and anti-parasite medications have an important role to play in treating (even preventing?) COVID-19 infections. . . . If you are ready to discover more efficient ways of helping the body avoid getting COVID-19, give my office a call. You may discover an exciting and healthy new journey that can add years of better health to your life.” [16] [There is no scientific evidence that the measures Trowbridge recommends are  effective against COVID-19.]

In January 2021, Trowbridge blogged this about whether people should get a COVID-19 vaccination:

I’m going to say one thing about the COVID-19 vaccine. And this will be the only thing I say about it. If your health is in any way compromised as a result of heart disease, lung disease, obesity, diabetes, or any condition that makes you fearful, you need to be taking all reasonable precautions to stay healthier and avoid careless exposures. Should you get the vaccine? Some people say that will alleviate some of the fear, some of the stress that typically adds to disease. However, the new products are absolutely unique, not like earlier “vaccines” that you might have had as a child or adult, and we know very little about their possible short- and long-term side effects. Indeed, reports from the United States and around the world suggest that mild reactions are common . . . but disastrous ones have occurred unexpectedly.

Whether you choose to get the vaccine or not, please, please, please begin to explore options that will help you feel better without the use of drugs and/or surgeries. Explore the miraculous healing capacity of the human body. If there is still life flowing through your veins and you can muster up the courage to step off the mainstream medical path and onto an alternate healing path that honors and works with the body, give yourself the gift of health or at least feeling better than you have in ages.

When you are ready to begin, give my office a call [17].

This message may sound neutral, but it fails to indicate that the known benefits of COVID-19 vaccination vastly outweigh the unknown risks. Rather, it is a misleading sales pitch for his services. Moreover, a few weeks before posting this message, he began inviting visitors to his website and members of his email list (which includes people whom he has not met) to receive his written professional opinion by completing a questionnaire posted to his website.

The questionnaire consists of 32 “yes-or-no” questions related to the person’s medical history [18], The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CD) says that the only people who should not get vaccinated against COVID-19 are those who have had a severe reaction a COVID-19 vaccine or any of its components [19]. It’s conceivable that people who have had COVID-19 might not need vaccination, but that is still under investigation. Trowbridge’s questionnaire asks whether you have been infected with COVID-19 or have had a positive COVID-19 test. None of the other questions—regardless of how they are answered—could provide any science-based reason to avoid COVID-19 vaccination. In fact, two experts in immunology who independently looked at the questionnaire pointed out that some of the questions, if answered “yes,” would mean that the person would greatly benefit from the vaccine. When I submitted a completed questionnaire (under an assumed name), Trowbridge returned a copy with a signed, handwritten note that stated: “I discourage you from the COVID not-vaccine injections, based on your medical history.” One question asked whether I was above the age of 70. I answered yes. People over 70 are at high risk of dying if they get COVID-19. So the advice Trowbridge gives—apparently to people he has never met as well as to his patients—can easily lead to unnecessary death. At age 88, I feel very fortunate to be triple-vaccinated.

In December 2021, Trowbridge’s emails began urging his patients to get a personalized exemption letter. These emails said:

Trowbridge also appears to oppose government-advised quarantine measures. In 2021, he posted sample documents that he claims will help people resist any government orders to shelter at home if they have been exposed to or contracted COVID-19 [20]. I don’t believe that his suggested strategies will work.

The Bottom Line

John Parks Trowbridge has promoted unproven treatments and opposed government regulation throughout most of his medical career. I recommend avoiding him.

References

1. Trowbridge JP. The short story. healthCHOICESnow website, accessed Jan 16, 2022.
2. Curriculum vitae: Everything you wanted to know about Dr. Trowbridge! healthCHOICESnow website, accessed Jan 16, 2022.
3. Complaint. In the matter iof the complaint against John Parks Trowbridge, M.D. before the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. Jan 24, 1990.
4. Order. In the matter iof the complaint against John Parks Trowbridge, M.D. before the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. Oct 27, 1990.
5. Agreed order. In the matter iof the license of John Parks Trowbridge, M.D. before the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. Aug 22, 1998.
6. Tax Court Memo 2003-164. John Parks Trowbridge and Sabrina Martin v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue. U.S. Tax Court, Docket Nos. 473-01, 474-01, Filed June 4, 2003. (Martin was Trowbridge’s wife during the relevant tax years.)
7. Tax Court Memo 2003-165. John Parks Trowbridge et al. vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue. U.S. Tax Court, Docket Nos. 473-01, 474-01, Filed June 4, 2003.
8. Appeal from the US Tax Court Docket No. 750-01, Trowbridge vs Commissioner of Internal Revenue. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Case No. 04-60014, June 8, 2004.
9. Coimplaint. USA vs John Parks Trowbridge, Jr., et al. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, Case No.4:14-cv-0027.
10. Order and report and recommendation. USA vs. John Parks Trowbridge. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, Case No. 4:17-MC-1557, Aug 3, 2018.
11. What’s the right treatment for me? healthCHOICESnow website, accessed Jan 16, 2022.
12. FDA warns about stem cell therapies. FDA website, Sept 3, 2019.
13. Barrett S. Dubious “yeast allergies.” Quackwatch, Jan 17, 2022.
14. Trowbridge JP. The Yeast Syndrome may be the answer to your health problems. healthCHOICESnow website, accessed Jan 16, 2022.
15. Trowbridge JP. Chelation therapy can ben an all-around healing treatment. healthCHOICESnow website, accessed Jan 16, 2022.
16. Missing information that may play a role in treating and preventing COVID-19. healthCHOICESnow website, accessed Jan 16, 2022.
17. Trowbridge JP. Go ahead and get vaccinated? Regardless, you need to commit to getting healthy. healthCHOICESnow website, accessed January 17, 2021.
18.  Trowbridge JP. Lawful remedy for any alleged shelter-at-home order issued because oif COVID-19. Posted to Gab.com, April 12, 2021.
19. Trowbridge JP. Exempt from “mandate mania”! E-mail message, Dec 20, 2021.