Michael Farrelly: Hormone clinics owner banned after 18 complaints to Health Care Complaints Commission

The man behind multiple Australian telehealth hormone therapy clinics including Climax Clinic, Australian Institute of Sports Science and Peak Performance Clinic has been permanently banned after patients suffered serious side effects.

Michael Farrelly, also known as Mikael Wolfe and Vergel Page.

A man behind a series of controversial Australian testosterone and hormone therapy clinics has been permanently banned from providing health services after over a dozen patients reported serious side effects.

Michael Farrelly, also known under various aliases including Vergel Page and Mikael Wolfe, operated businesses including Climax Clinic, Australian Institute of Sports Science and Peak Performance Clinic.

The 37-year-old was placed under consecutive interim prohibition orders by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) from March 28, 2024, after they started investigating a high volume of patient complaints against his virtual and telehealth hormone therapy businesses.

The Commission’s decision stated that one case involved a 48-year-old man referred to as Patient J, who led an “active lifestyle” and enjoyed “good health” before seeking Farrelly’s treatment.

Without conducting blood tests to assess his existing hormone levels, Farrelly provided testosterone lozenges to the patient to start his treatment in February 2023.

Patient J was put onto a strong regimen of medications which incorporated injectables, despite having no prior blood tests, the Commission found.

Patient J was later switched to a strong regimen of medications including Primoteston, Tadalafil, and Exemestane and incorporating injectables.

By September, he was hospitalised due to a “cardiovascular event” and diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a chronic heart condition characterised by a fast and irregular heartbeat, which increases the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

Farrelly’s intense treatment plan included Primoteston and an anabolic steroid Nandrolone Decanoate.

Another patient sought treatment at Farrelly’s clinic in September 2023 to alleviate osteoarthritis symptoms through testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), in the hopes that increased muscle mass would offer his bones more support.

Farrelly promised to make the patient “massive” and put him on an intense treatment plan including Primoteston, Tadalafil, Exemestane and an anabolic steroid Nandrolone Decanoate.

He told the patient to inject the steroid into the stomach area, which directly contradicted the prescribing doctor’s instructions.

Within four weeks the patient developed lumps around the injection areas and tested with testosterone levels three times higher than the normal range.

The Commission found Farrelly regularly supplied prescribed and prescribed restricted medications with “no clinical basis”, even when patient blood tests indicated potential adverse reactions.

“Mr Farrelly has conducted consultations with a significant number of patients and made recommendations on controlled medications without any qualification or accreditation in any health field,” the Commission’s decision read.

Additionally, he was found providing prescribed medications outside their intended use, such as Exemestane which is an oestrogen inhibitor for breast cancer patients.

“Mr Farrelly continued to recommend and supply these medications when patients experienced serious side effects, with no regard to the safety of this treatment,” the decision stated.

Although Farrelly’s businesses are linked to Sydney’s CBD, the Commission investigation discerned that he likely resided outside NSW and operated remotely.

Previously, the Queensland Health Ombudsman investigated Farrelly under the alias Mikael Wolfe, for allegedly charging patients thousands for unproven stem cell treatments to cure numerous diseases such as multiple sclerosis, leukaemia, and infertility. No action resulted from that investigation.

On May 27, the Commission permanently prohibited Farrelly from providing any health services either paid or voluntarily, to the public.