Swiss Probe Into Illegal, 'Anti-Ageing' Animal Cell Injections

By R. Siva Kumar - 30 Mar '15 07:59AM

Swiss criminal probes have been started at clinics, in which there are illegal animal cell injections for anti-aging. Officials say that they know at least 35 clinics offering procedures that are dangerous, yet they do not have the permits to undertake the injections, according to rt.

The institutions offering these anti-aging treatments are located by the sides of Lake Geneva, between Lausanne and Montreux. Just last year, the clinics were asked to stop the procedures. Last Thursday, the Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP), a Swiss health authority, said that "criminal proceedings were initiated against several clinics and different people" involved in the activity, said Les Echos, a news portal.

The investigation targets private clinics and people who have illegally offered the injections which are particularly popular among wealthy Chinese, Middle Eastern and Russian nationals, the Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP) said on Thursday, according to thelocalch.

Swiss media reports have said that the treatments are generating millions of Euros for the clinics annually. Some live cell treatments were invented in the 1930s by a Swiss doctor Paul Niehans, which involved injections of sheep, cow or pig fetuses' cells into patients. They help to fight aging, migraines and chronic conditions such as cancer.

Meanwhile, health regulators confirm that no one can vouch for the scientific validity of the injections , and they can in fact lead to allergic reactions, abscesses and blood infections, even as the cells can infect patients with disease-causing pathogens.

These injections are in great demand among wealthy Chinese, Middle Eastern and Russian nationals, says the Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP).

However, the chief of a travel agency that studied medical tourism for Chinese citizens did not support it. "These treatments work. We have clients who come back every two years. If it didn't work, people wouldn't spend so much money," Swissna agency owner Xu Junhua said, as quoted by AFP.