supasquad

I think at this point some sort of input by the moderators would be greatly appreciated.

OK, so I am going to tread very carefully here, and I would really like to emphasise that I am by no means making any personal attacks in the below passages. I am however thinking out loud and sharing my thoughts as a new member to this forum, in the hope that all members might benefit from the discussion that it may manifest. Also, while this does relate to Dr Doganay as he is the HT Physician I was considering, if I go too far off topic, please feel free to move the post as required. I will start by saying that I am an Australian Lawyer. I dont make that statement to toot my own horn, I say it rather to convey that I tend to think about most things in a legal manner. It has become second nature to me and unfortunately its just how I see the world. In relation to Dr Doganay and the issues with reviews from shared IP addresses, I am less than satisfied with the explanation tendered. Not on the basis that I doubt the explanation given, but on the basis that more care should be taken by all practitioners to ensure such situations simple do not occur. If Dr Doganay was aware that this was taking place, with valid reason, why was it not declared at the outset. This would maintain transparency and only enhance the validity of such posts. I would like to give the following example. My cousin in Australia is a cosmetic surgeon (unfortunately he does not perform HT) and I recently had a liposuction procedure done at his clinic. I am incredibly happy with the results and as such I wanted to leave a glowing review of his work, both on his website, and on a local forum. Before I did so I called him to discuss it. He immediately told me not to do so as our family relationship may cause doubt in the mind of any potential clients and he did not wish to jeopardise his standing in the industry. My cousin and I both have different Surnames, we look nothing alike, we do not share an IP address, and for all intents and purposes there is very little likelihood that it would have been uncovered, however on reflection I see that he was absolutely correct to make the decision he did and advise against it. The hair loss, and restoration industry is unfortunately one that has always been dogged by unethical, unscrupulous and at times down right criminal actions. From miracle creams, to hair in a can, to laser treatments, to HT - all have suffered from the actions of less than ethical operators. Again I wish to stress at this point I am not saying that anyone on this forum or more to the point in this thread is guilty of this, but rather, given the checkered history of the industry, everyone who operates within it should keep in mind that it is one that has and always will live under a cloud of doubt. In which case it is imperative that Practitioners do nothing whatsoever to further strengthen that doubt, especially Practitioners who are endorsed by this network/forum. This brings me to my next point, the monetary contribution of HT Physicians, especially those endorsed by the network. Again I lean on my legal background in relation to this. I think it is a very slipper slope, and one that requires the utmost transparency and disclosure. I for one will admit that I have long viewed the forum and its threads and only recently joined as a member. In all the years that I have viewed it, I was never aware that any contributions were made by Physicians. I take responsibility for the fact that I did not conduct due diligence in this regard, however it was simply not something that I assumed would occur. Given that it does I will state the following – in a legal context, once a financial relationship exists between any two entities, the relationship changes. A fiduciary responsibility is created between the two parties, and aspects of impartiality are lost. I accept as stated that there are costs involved in maintaining the forum, and that these costs are supported by Physician contributions, however I would ask, given that this is touted as community forum, almost to be considered as a “not for profit” organization, are there records of contributions made and costs incurred and if so are these records/statistics available to forum members? Are there surplus funds and if so, where and how are they distributed? Do moderators and/or Senior Members receive any remuneration for services and if so how much? I think the entire integrity of the forum rests on the answers to the above questions. And once again, please take these as genuine questions, not accusations. I think of it this way, if a client came to me, and said he was about to undergo a life changing medical procedure and he had chosen his Physician on the basis of an online forum recommendation or endorsement, what would I advise him? What questions would I have? All of the above come to mind. Furthermore I would like to say that broadly, once a monetary contribution is made by a physician, any post that the physician makes on the forum from that point on becomes an Advertisement, and any support given to such posts by a moderator or senior members who receive any financial remuneration must also be seen as Advertisements, as the monetary transaction (or fiduciary relationship in legal terms) extinguishes any impartiality, whether it exists or not. I would like to finish by saying that I have enjoyed following this forum, and I will continue to do so. However I think discussion about the matters I have outlined can only strengthen the credibility of such a forum, and aide to remove doubt and uncertainty from already weary constituents. We are in the end all here for one reason, and that is the shiny spots on our heads which used to be less so. I hope this is all taken in the spirit that it is written as I do not wish to unduly criticize anybody, but rather alleviate my own concerns. Kind Regards Alex

Hi all, I am brand spanking new to this forum, and only joined because I have been seriously considering seeing Dr Doganay for HT. All I can say is regardless of the explanation given, I am now really concerned. I think transparency is very important, especially in this arena so I am again now in two minds about everything. Can I ask if I have understood something correctly - do Physicians have to pay to be on this site? Is that correct?