Despite name, Dr. Moma’s is owned by nurse rather than medical doctor
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Springs medical spa where 3,150 COVID-19 vaccines were confiscated over storage concerns is owned and operated by a licensed nurse, rather than a medical doctor, as its name implies.
The owner, Sylvienash Binwie Moma, is a licensed DNP with the state of Colorado. It means she has a doctoral degree in nursing but is not a medical doctor.
"Based on a doctorate, you certainly can apply the name doctor, but. she is not a physician," said Dr. Robin Johnson, medical director for El Paso County Public Health. "And so that can create some confusion. I think it is important to have that transparency. Again, so that we really know that we're talking apples to apples, or apples to oranges, and what those kinds of titles imply."
According to the Colorado Secretary of State's office, there are no requirements or restrictions surrounding the use of the title 'doctor' in a business name.
Dr. Moma Health & Wellness Clinic typically offers services like Botox, fillers, facials, and laser hair removal. However, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment approved the medical spa to administer COVID-19 vaccines as well.
A KRDO Newschannel 13 viewer’s wife was vaccinated at Dr. Moma's on Friday just before the state shut it down. He calls the business name deceitful.
"Of course it is misleading," said the viewer, who asked to be identified by only his first name, Ron.
He wishes he would have listened to his instincts and waited for a different appointment to open up for his wife, claiming the experience was concerning even before the state stepped in.
"They gave her the shot and they didn’t put a bandaid on her arm," said Ron. "She didn’t even realize that and we were in the car and she looked down at her shoulder because it was feeling just a little sore from the shot and noticed there was some blood seeping."
13 Investigates has repeatedly called Dr. Moma's office for comment, but has not yet heard back.
The state health department is now suggesting re-vaccination for anyone who got vaccinated at Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic.
In a press release Tuesday night, the state health department laid out its recommendations:
"CDPHE is unable to verify if the vaccines administered at the site were viable because the provider failed to provide proper documentation of temperature storage. Therefore, after consulting with CDC, CDPHE advises the following:
For people who received one dose at the Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic:
If you received one dose of Pfizer vaccine at a Dr. Moma vaccination clinic, that dose is considered invalid and you should receive two additional doses of Pfizer vaccine according to the time frames below:
- Additional dose of Pfizer 21 days after your initial invalid Pfizer dose was received at Dr. Moma, and
- Final dose of Pfizer 21 days later (e.g., 21 days after your repeated valid dose)
If you received one dose of Moderna vaccine at a Dr. Moma vaccination clinic, that dose is considered invalid and you should receive two additional doses of Moderna vaccine according to the time frames below:
- Additional dose of Moderna 28 days after your initial invalid Moderna dose was received at Dr. Moma, and
- Final dose of Moderna 28 days later (e.g., 28 days after your repeated valid dose)
If you do not know which vaccine you received at a Dr. Moma vaccination clinic, you should receive two additional doses of either Moderna or Pfizer vaccine according to the time frames below:
- Additional dose of Moderna or Pfizer 28 days after your initial invalid mRNA dose was received at Dr. Moma, and
- Final dose of Moderna or Pfizer 28 days later (e.g., 28 days after your repeated valid dose)
Records show that most patients only received one dose at the site, but for people who received two doses at the Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic the CDC and CDPHE recommends:
- If you received two doses of Pfizer vaccine at a Dr. Moma vaccination clinic, those doses are considered invalid and you should receive one additional dose of Pfizer vaccine at least 21 days after your last COVID-19 dose.
- If you received two doses of Moderna vaccine at a Dr. Moma vaccination clinic, those doses are considered invalid and you should receive one additional dose of Moderna vaccine at least 28 days after your last COVID-19 dose.
- If you do not know which vaccine you received at a Dr. Moma vaccination clinic, you should receive one additional dose of either Moderna or Pfizer vaccine at least 28 days after your last COVID-19 dose.
Because of lack of clinical data, the CDC does not recommend that people get more than three doses of any COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of validity."
