B.C. chiropractor who advertised unproven 'brain balancing' treatment fined $200

A North Vancouver chiropractor who offered unproven and unapproved "brain balancing" treatments and treated patients while his licence was suspended has been fined $200.

Dan Sullins has also received a reprimand from the College of Chiropractors of B.C. and will have to pay the college $4,000 in costs but will be allowed to continue working after signing a consent agreement acknowledging numerous problems with his practice, according to a public notice.

Originally from Texas, Sullins had advertised something he called "board certified functional neurology," which is not a recognized chiropractic credential in B.C. He also promoted a treatment called "brain balancing" and claimed to be trained in "several brain stimulating adjusting techniques."

At one point, patient testimonials on his website suggested he's helped with some conditions that chiropractors in B.C. are specifically banned from claiming to treat, including ADHD and childhood speech disorders.

Sullins' registration was suspended by the college in June 2019 amid three investigations into his work. 

Sullins' claims also prompted the registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C., Dr. Heidi Oetter, to speak out. She called Sullins' marketing "quite frankly, dangerous" in that patients could be led to believe he's a doctor of neurology.

Sullins failed to co-operate with inspectors

The College of Chiropractors has now confirmed that Sullins violated its standards and policies in several different ways, including advertising treatments that aren't supported by evidence, acting outside of his legal scope of practice, failing to co-operate with a college inspection, practising while his licence was suspended and advertising his services with a group coupon.

Sullins' suspension from practise was lifted this March, after he agreed to be monitored by the college for four months.

His practice was also placed under a number of conditions, including working within the legal scope of practice, bringing his marketing into line with college standards and maintaining required records. Those conditions all remain in place.

Last summer, Sullins filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court challenging the suspension of his licence. The petition revealed the RCMP had visited his North Vancouver clinic in connection with the college's investigations.

Sullins trained as a chiropractor in Texas and worked in the Dallas area from 2012 to 2016, when he moved to the Vancouver area for family reasons, according to an affidavit he filed in support of his petition.

Sullins has been registered as a chiropractor in this province since January 2018.