News stories abound about toxic mold in homes and buildings, exposure to mold and fungi in our environment, and the supposed illnesses they cause. These are often described as “hidden” dangers, lurking out of our sight and ready to pounce on us at any moment. Many people are so fearful that they run to their doctor at the first sniffle, convinced they are infected with a mold or fungus. Mold detection services and mold testing kits for the home are doing a booming business. It is not possible to say how often these are used unnecessarily- no one keeps records- but I think that it is safe to say that it happens a lot. Beware of companies offering free mold testing, especially if they also offer mold remediation.

In such a situation it is inevitable that other opportunists will enter the picture. Some physicians and even non-physicians have jumped on the mold bandwagon with such enthusiasm that their entire practices are predicated on the premise that, if you are sick, a mold, fungus, or yeast is to blame. They test patients for mold and, not surprisingly, nearly all test positive. They then subject patients to unproven therapies, such as intravenous hydrogen peroxide, vitamin C, and silver to treat these alleged infections. The cost can run into the tens of thousands of dollars which, by the way, insurance typically does not cover. I call them medical predators.

These practitioners use a few laboratories to test their patients. One features prominently: RealTime Laboratory in Carrollton, Texas. RealTime provides a test they developed for testing urine for toxins derived from molds. It costs $700. The founder/owner of RealTime is Dr. Dennis Hooper, a pathologist with a checkered practice history which is readily available online. https://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/hooper.html Suffice it to say that Dr. Hooper is persona-non-grata with the medical board in California, which suspended his medical license for gross incompetence. Urine testing for mold toxins has never been shown to be reliable for diagnosing mold problems in patients or for directing treatment. Well over 80% of the mold tests submitted to RealTime are from a single physician, Marvin Sponaugle, MD, who runs the Sponaugle Wellness Institute in Oldsmar, FL. Dr. Sponaugle makes his living treating mold patients based on these results.

Another opportunist is Michael Pugliese, who has a long list of letters after his name, but no MD or DO. He has done business as Environmental Health Assessment Program Laboratories, Mold Centers of America, American Medical Laboratories, BioTrek Laboratories, and BioSign Laboratory Corporation. He runs the National Treatment Center for Environmental Disease. All of these are in or around Atlanta. If you look at the website for the Treatment Center, you will be frightened half to death and, at the same time, told that this is the Mecca for mold assessment and treatment. Unlike most websites for medical centers, this one does not mention a single physician on its staff. An FAQ deflects this question by saying there is a “team”. No specifics are given on their protocols. http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/i-team/mold-doctor-loses-lawsuit-bid-unloads-on-fox-5-i-team

Can people become ill from molds and fungi? As I indicated above, the answer is very much yes, however, true mold-related illnesses in healthy people are unusual. The problem is not nearly as common as the above practitioners and labs would have you believe and, if you are not careful, you can become a victim of medical predators who tell you that molds and fungi are to blame and will be more than happy to take your money to treat you.

It is well established that all of us are exposed to molds and fungi on a daily basis and many healthy people will test positive at any given moment, if the testing is sensitive enough. If you are concerned that you might have a mold or fungus issue, either personally or in your home, check with your own primary care practitioner. If they send lab samples off, ask to what laboratory they are being sent. Only two laboratories provide reliable assays for mold toxins: The Mayo Clinic and ARUP Laboratory in Salt Lake City, UT. If you are referred to a mold treatment “specialist”, do your due diligence and research them before you go. Beware of anyone using the labs I noted earlier or promising you relief if you follow their expensive protocols.

In addition to Marvin Sponaugle, other names have cropped up on the mold scene. One is Gordon Crozier, DO in Orlando. Crozier diagnosed one patient with toxic mold in the blood and brain using RealTime Lab testing and then subjected her to nearly $50,000 worth of IV therapy, with no improvement. Another is David Minkoff, MD, whose clinic, LifeWorks Wellness Center, is in Clearwater, FL. Dr. Minkoff offers non-conventional treatment for just about any condition, from mold toxicity to cancer and heart disease. His list of therapies offered is essentially a compilation of discredited and/or unproven treatment such as homeopathy and Frankenhauser neural therapy. https://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/neural.html

For patients seeking diagnosis and treatment of mold toxicity, the operative approach is caveat emptor.