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Clinic raided for illegal diet drug

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas (KMBC) -- An Overland Park clinic was raided by police and federal agents Thursday for allegedly dispensing half of the illegal diet drug combination fen-phen, KMBC 9 News' Jeremy Hubbard reported.

Greg Chollet, owner of Chollet clinic, admitted to reporters and police that his clinic was distributing fenfluramine, part of the drug combination fen-phen.

"I was a little surprised. Actually, I was a lot surprised that this occurred," said Carl Cornwell, Chollet's attorney.

Chollet said that his wife, Dr. Jackie Springer, was giving the drug to obese patients.

The drug was banned three years ago because of the potential for heart-valve problems to develop, Hubbard reported.

Chollet and Springer said they spent a year trying to find the drug and had it shipped to the United States from London, but it was confiscated by customs.

He said he thought the Food and Drug Administration was going to change its mind about the dangers of fenfluramine.

Chollet said doctors at the clinic are not convinced that the drug poses the dangers alleged by the government.

After Chollet allegedly failed to submit subpoenaed records regarding the drug in October, Overland Park police, Food and Drug Administration agents, Drug Enforcement Agency agents and U.S. Customs agents raided his clinic.

"They want some records that we've been trying to provide and would have provided," Cornwell said.

Springer has been apprehended and is being questioned by police, but no arrests have been made.

Police have shut down the clinic and are confiscating records, Hubbard reported.

Tune in to KMBC 9 News at 10 p.m. for further developments on this story with Jeremy Hubbard.

Clinic Raided For Fen-Phen

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