The letter was sent from the health quality investigation unit of the state’s department of consumer affairs. In it, Dr. Zayner’s presence is requested at a meeting with the agency and a district medical consultant regarding a complaint of “unlicensed practice of medicine” filed against him by an unnamed party.
In response, Dr. Zayner wrote on Instagram, “The truth is that I have never given anyone anything to inject or use, never sold any material meant to treat a disease and never claim to provide treatments or cures because I knew this day would come.”
The self-described “biohacker” has made a name for himself with his well-publicized genetic self-experimentation in recent years. In 2016, he attempted a fecal microbiota transplant in a hotel room; the following year, he tried to genetically alter his skin, then, a few months later, livestreamed himself injecting his arm with CRISPR gene editing technology in an attempt to stimulate muscle growth.
Dr. Zayner has had run-ins with government safety agencies before: In 2016, when the FDA requested that The Odin discontinue sales of a kit for brewing glow-in-the-dark beer, the company complied. However, The Odin has continued to sell its kits enabling consumers to conduct their own genetic self-experiments despite a 2017 FDA warning.
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