Special to the News
On Monday Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that the Cullman County Circuit Court granted his request for a temporary restraining order against Aurora IV and Wellness, a Cullman-based IV infusion clinic, and its owners, Amanda and Chris Medders.
The attorney general alleges that the defendants illegally administered unsafe, research-grade weight loss drugs to patients without their knowledge or consent. The Attorney General’s Office sought a temporary restraining order to immediately close the business and freeze the defendants’ assets, citing violations of Alabama’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act and serious threats to public health and safety.
Cullman County Circuit Court Judge Greg Nicholas signed the temporary restraining order, which includes an asset freeze, last Thursday. A preliminary injunction hearing was set for November 13.
According to the complaint, Aurora IV and Wellness advertised popular weight loss drugs – tirzepatide and semaglutide, both GLP-1 medications, as “pharmaceutical-grade.” In reality, the defendants were injecting patients with research-grade versions of those drugs that are not approved for human use.
The drug’s manufacturer explicitly states that they are sold for laboratory research purposes only and should not be used by humans or animals.
“President Trump took decisive action to make GLP-1 weight-loss medications affordable and accessible to all Americans, ensuring that when prescribed responsibly and administered appropriately, these drugs can be an invaluable resource,” said Attorney General Marshall. “By contrast, exploiting that demand by misrepresenting unapproved, research-only chemicals as legitimate medicine is one of the most dangerous forms of consumer deception imaginable.”
Marshall continued, “Patients who relied on this clinic were unknowingly injected with substances labeled strictly for research use, materials federal regulators have explicitly warned are risky for human use. This kind of reckless disregard for patient safety will not be tolerated in Alabama.”
The temporary restraining order stops the defendants from operating while the court reviews the matter. The attorney general seeks to permanently bar the individual defendants from working in Alabama’s healthcare industry, dissolve the company, impose civil penalties, and obtain restitution for affected consumers.
The attorney general’s complaint alleges the defendants’ conduct began as early as May 2025. To identify affected consumers, the attorney general has set up an online survey for patients who have received tirzepatide and semaglutide from the defendants since that time to report their claims. The survey can be found on the attorney general’s website at www.alabamaag.gov/consumer-questionnaires.
Marshall thanked the Alabama Board of Nursing, the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, the Cullman Police Department, and the Winston County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the investigation and execution of the temporary restraining order.
