Fake ‘doctor’ arrested for unlicensed practice in Sarasota

Mug shot of Jaqlyn Michelle Tinaro, aka Jaqlyn Jacobs. Photo by Sarasota County Sheriff's Office

As stated in a press release shared today, a local Sarasota woman has been arrested by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office for practicing medicine without a license. Jaqlyn Michelle Tinaro, also known as Jaqlyn Jacobs, was arrested and charged on June 28 with four felony counts of Unlicensed Practice of a Healthcare Professional.
​
Often referred to as Dr. Jaqlyn, Tinaro saw patients at the Virtue of Health Medical Office located at 4161 Clark Road. She was known for what she called "live blood analysis", where she pricked patients' fingers and projected the enlarged slide on a monitor to analyze the blood cells for diagnostic purposes, and in order to prescribe treatments and medications, the release states.

According to Doctor Arthur Hodge, the Medical Director for the clinic, he was unaware that Tinaro was both unlicensed and that she was diagnosing patients this way. However, he said he did know that his name was being used to prescribe medications, which he described as "IVs and vitamins," despite never personally meeting with any of the patients involved in this case.

Four victims have detailed their interactions with the unlicensed physician, where they were each given the "live blood analysis" and various extensive medical tests and treatments, including some or all of the following:

• Lyme Disease Testing
• Ozone Intravenous (IV) Therapy
• Medication for Parasites and Thyroid Issues
• and Custom IV Therapy

Tinaro represented herself as a Medical Doctor, always wearing a white lab coat, which the release states was monogrammed with "Dr. Jaqlyn Jacobs." The patients affected say they believed her to be a licensed Medical Doctor.

The website for Virtue of Health describes their office as a "wellness center offering integrative primary care and functional medicine." It also provides a photo of Jacobs, its founder, wearing a white medical lab coat with her credentials noted as NMD, understood to mean "Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine" says the release.

A search of the Florida Department of Health licensing verification found no licenses for any profession under her name or alias. 

The press release can be read in full here.
Article by Rachael Volpe