Kurt Donsbach

Kurt Walter Donsbach (born December 1, 1935) is an unlicensed chiropractor and a controversial alternative medicine figure who has twice been convicted of practicing medicine without a license. He has faced charges of misbranding drugs for sale, grand theft, unlawfully dispensing drugs as a cure for cancer, and falsely representing a cure for cancer.

Donsbach was the founder of Hospital Santa Monica in Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico. Following the death of Coretta Scott King while under treatment at the clinic in January 2006, the facility was shut down by Mexican health officials.

In 1971 Donsbach was convicted of practicing medicine without a license in California after undercover agents observed him prescribing unproven remedies to patients while claiming to be a medical doctor. Many of the remedies were only available from Westpro Labs, a company operated by Donsbach. He pleaded guilty and received a fine and two years' summary probation.

On April 9, 2009, Donsbach was arrested during his Internet radio health show and charged with 11 felony counts, including dispensing unapproved drugs. Prosecutors also charged Donsbach with offering neuropeptides to his patients. These drugs contained nimesulide, which have been banned in Europe because they cause high rates of liver failure and have resulted in some deaths. In January 2010, a San Diego judge ruled there was enough evidence for the case against Donsbach to proceed to trial. Donsbach faced up to 12 years and eight months if convicted. The case ended with a plea deal with Donsbach facing up to a year in jail, followed by probation.

On December 13, 2010, Donsbach pleaded guilty to 13 additional felony charges, including practicing medicine without a license and selling misbranded drugs.

Donsbach's activities have repeatedly been criticized by Dr. Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch.