Weight loss doctor must pay civil penalties and accept increased surveillance

A doctor who operates weight-loss clinics in the Savannah area has agreed to pay civil penalties and accept enhanced monitoring to resolve allegations that he violated drug laws, according to a news release from Barry L. Paschal, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia.

Dr. Donald Lyle Gates operated three clinics called Scale Solutions in Savannah, Pooler and Hinesville and previously operated a clinic in Bluffton, South Carolina. Gates reached a settlement with the U.S. Attorney's Office, the press release said. The settlement requires Gates to pay a civil penalty of $100,000.

The settlement came after a civil investigation and did not result in a lawsuit, according to Paschal. The agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) allows Gates to maintain his DEA registrations to dispense controlled substances while complying with certain conditions, including two years of enhanced supervision by the DEA, the press release said.