Lessons from the viral saga of Puebla's fake psychiatrist

There was a scandal in Puebla, where Marilyn Cote presented herself as a respected psychiatrist with stunning credentials the talk of Mexico since the end of last week.

The exposure of Cote's apparent fake practice – in which she promised to cure depression “in six or seven days” and prescribed powerful psychotropic drugs without a valid medical license – has highlighted the not uncommon problem of medical fraudsters in Mexico.

3. Use and abuse Photoshop. They are photos of them posted and posted on their professional Instagram. pic.twitter.com/prPFaKTnNS

—Dr. Isaac Chavez Diaz (@DrChavezDiaz) November 7, 2024

On her social media accounts, Marilyn Cote posted photos of herself and her associates that were apparently created using Photoshop.

Additionally, it has prompted real doctors and other officials to offer advice on how to avoid falling victim to such charlatans who find it easy to exploit loopholes in the law.

Cote's practice at the Angelópolis Medical Towers in the city of Puebla was closed by Mexico Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (Cofepris) and the Puebla Health Department.

This is standard procedure in such cases, but it often ends there.

However, partly because her case has gone viral, the Ministry of Health has given her five days to produce valid qualifications and medical certificates – otherwise she will face additional sanctions.

“If she does not comply with the requirements by Thursday, depending on the results of the investigation, she could face administrative sanctions, fines or a 36-hour arrest,” said Araceli Córdoba Soria, head of Puebla’s health ministry.

Although Cote has claimed ties to prestigious institutions such as Harvard, the FBI and the University of Oslo, authorities have found no supporting evidence.

Rather, Cote, who only has a license in law and psychology, is said to have operated an unlicensed psychiatric clinic and prescribed controlled medications such as duloxetine and quetiapine (Q-Mind) without a valid medical license.

Cote's deceptions extended across social media, where she bragged about being “a renowned intellectual in Europe, the United States and Latin America” ​​who could speak multiple languages ​​(which she apparently does not). She claimed to have a doctorate in neuroscience, neuropsychiatry, and neuropsychology, to have spent five years in the behavior analysis department at Quantico University in Virginia (an institution that does not exist), and to be director of the Center for Mental Disorders at the University of Virginia Oslo.

What appears to be true is that she graduated from Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla with a law degree in 2000 and twelve years later completed a master's degree in criminalistics from Mexico's Colegio Libre de Estudios Universitarios.

Her false claims began to come to light when a group of health professionals took to her online postings of fake degrees and certificates, as well as photoshopped images such as a resume with the Harvard logo and an advertisement for her clinic that featured pictures of foreign doctors Models were used who suggested they were on staff.

She featured these articles on her numerous social media accounts – which she has since closed.

Her prescriptions bore fake registration numbers for medical qualifications she never possessed, allowing her to prescribe powerful antipsychotics and severe depression medications such as Neupax and Kastandi.

Although media reports indicate that none of Marilyn Cote's patients have ever filed an official complaint with a government agency, online reviews contained numerous complaints, including claims of misdiagnosis and unfounded claims about treating conditions such as schizophrenia and depression within days.

Health policy expert Xavier Tello told El País newspaper that Cote's case highlights the systemic gaps that allow such scams to spread. He pointed to outdated professional validation systems and Cofepris' limited authority to enforce penalties beyond clinic closures. Tello warned that fraudulent practices like Cote could reopen elsewhere without patient complaints.

@alo_mendv #medicina #aprendeentiktok ♬ Original sound – Alondra Mendizabal

To check whether your doctor is who he says he is, you can check his qualifications via the National professional register linked below.

How to avoid medical scams in Mexico

To avoid falling victim to such charlatans, experts urge patients to check the credentials of healthcare providers about the Registro Nacional de Professionistas (National Registry of Professionals), a public database managed by the Department of Public Education (SEP).

Users can enter a practitioner's name or professional ID to confirm their certification and view details such as the issuing institution and specialty.

Additionally, discrepancies between listed licenses and those on prescriptions should raise red flags. Cofepris also encourages patients to report suspicious providers via the hotline at (800) 033-5050 or its online portal.

With reports from El Pais, Infobae And Marca