Erap, Enrile, Imelda
Marcos–how they’re defying age and time with stem-cell therapy
JUMPSTARTING the regeneration process to achieve longevity, glowing skin and youthful energy are just three of the claimed benefits derived by patients at Villa Medica.
The Germany-based “holistic”
clinic specializes in fresh-cell therapy, a form of stem-cell treatment sourced from organs and tissues of unborn lamb.
Such claims may sound too good to be true, until you see the likes of former President Joseph Estrada, former first lady Imelda Marcos and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile strutting about and plotting their next po- litical moves like they’re in their prime.
Except for Enrile, Marcos and Estrada have nearly endorsed the clinic in Edenkoben, an hour’s drive south of Frankfurt, by agreeing to have their pictures and brief testimonials used in a Villa Medica brochure.
Marcos reportedly started having fresh-cell therapy injections in 1969, less than a decade after Villa Medica opened its doors for business in 1961. But the acknowledged father of fresh-cell therapy, Dr. Paul Niehans, broke ground and started his research in 1931.
Dr. Geoffrey Huertgen, Villa Medica’s chief medical director, visited Manila two weeks ago to see former and potential patients. What the clinic promises, he said, is overall good health by enhancing the regeneration process. Youthful attributes such as beautiful skin and increased energy are just byprod-
ucts of the clinic’s holistic philosophy.
Active partner
Although fresh-cell therapy claims to help improve the condition of diabetics and kids afflicted with autism and Down’s syndrome, to name a few, it doesn’t promise a miracle cure for life-threatening diseases such as cancer. And since the clinic’s approach is “organ-specific,” it doesn’t offer patients a onesize-fits-all therapy.
“Regeneration is not a passive thing,” said Huertgen. “We need the patient as an active partner to make the regeneration work. His body should also be up to it. It’s important that he sends us all the requirements like his medical history and blood tests for us to know if he’s an ideal candidate for the treatment.”
Every program is tailor-made depending on the organ that needs to be addressed. Human beings, like all mammals, have 220 organs and tissues, said Huertgen. Except for skin and joint rejuvenation, where stem cells are injected directly on the area that needs improvement, each tailor-made cocktail of fresh cells geared, say, for the heart, liver or intestines is injected through the patient’s buttocks (intramuscular).
These injected stem cells find their way to the organ they were programmed to repair. A typical therapy program includes up to nine injections (the number could increase depending on Huertgen’s assessment of the patient).
Simply put, stem cells needed to address the heart are derived from the lamb’s heart. The same goes with the liver, intestines and other organs of the body.
“And since fresh-cell therapy is regenerative in nature, you don’t see and feel the results immediately,” Huertgen added. “If you want an overnight effect, you have to go to a surgeon. He can do an invasive procedure to address your beauty concerns.”
Although not a few patients swore they felt and looked better right after the treatment, it takes a few months, depending on the individual’s response to the treatment, for results to start kicking in.
Typical package
Over the years, a growing number of wealthy Filipinos have availed themselves of the four-day, three-night treatment by flying to Germany. Last year alone, the clinic attended to 350 Filipinos.
Once accepted, the patient undergoes another series of testing and interviews at the clinic before receiving the therapy. As a bonus, a typical package costing 15,000 euros (excluding airfare) includes airport limousine transfers, sightseeing and shopping tours. But all the side trips have to be done before the treatment.
Once the therapy starts, the patient is required to rest while nurses attend to him round-the-clock to check on his condition, including any signs of allergies. Based on Huertgen’s experience, common side effects, ranging from red, itchy skin to rashes, are pretty minor. Huertgen said he has yet to come across cases involving patients developing major infections.
“After the treatment, the patient stays in bed for at least 30 hours so we could monitor him while his body optimizes the treatment,” he added. “He can immediately fly home soon after.”
That’s why it’s important to administer the therapy in a sterile and controlled environment, and not just in any clinic or branch abroad, said Huertgen. Villa Medica is practically a hospital regulated by the German government, albeit with some of the trappings found in a five-star hotel.
Patients are discouraged from staying up late and doing anything beyond “light” activities for a week. Huertgen also advises them to eat healthy and avoid such “toxins” as smoking and drinking alcohol.
Apart from providing patients four weeks’ worth of supplements, Villa Medica’s customer- care department will be communicating regularly with them to address any concerns they might have and remind them of followup treatments.
“And since it’s a holistic approach, we’re also working with local doctors so patients could have follow-up consultations,” said Huertgen. “It’s not just about going there every year for four days, and getting lost the rest of the year.”
How nature works
As Huertgen explained it, freshcell therapy is based on the fact that as we grow older, our organs and tissues also start to deteriorate. It’s simply how nature works.
“What is age? To be more specific, what is the difference between a newborn and an old man? It is in the function of their respective tissues and organs.”
Apart from telltale signs such as wrinkles, sagging muscles and gray, thinning hair, the heart, brain and the rest of the body’s organs and tissues also age.
Something as routine as regeneration, a necessary function that keeps every living being alive, becomes slower, less responsive and more “chaotic.” As chaos eventually wins, said Huertgen, we die.
The rebuilding cell responsible for regeneration, he added, is none other than the stem cell. Again, there’s no single stem cell, but a series of stem cells that each addresses a specific organ in the body.
“Regeneration happens every second, 10 to 50 million times, in our bodies,” said Huertgen. “So, what we’re bringing to you isn’t unnatural. We’re simply enhancing something that happens
in your body.”
Conventional treatment
And since regeneration time and an active “make it work, Villa Medica from addressing certain people looking for a last-
for a cure. “We refuse not because do the treatment on them said Huertgen. “But makes no sense.”
In cases, for instance, HIV-positive patients, Villa attends to them once
is stabilized. It has full-blown AIDS cases, Huertgen considers an The same applies to people
acute forms Huertgen cites the case German client, a
“nearly 100,” the clinic regularly. The drives around town in with his prized trophy, younger girlfriend.
In the case of children Down’s syndrome, a condition
in their genes, there’s to correct or eliminate
for such a What Villa Medica does gene defect to help metabolism in the brain, turn, leads to better cognitive
As far as Huertgen is no stem-cell therapy can
the looks or physical of a special child.
Weak immunity
Villa Medica doesn’t cure for their children’s
What Villa Medica to help boost the autistic brain development and system to help him manage such problems digestion and all sorts of
“These problems are weak immunity,” said Huertgen. The jury is still out as triggers autism, but its
(one in 50 boys developed world is said
with some form has led Huertgen to believe has something to do with environment and people’s
“There are a few study Canada and Israel who manage
of autism with immune Results have been very
Villa Medica’s founder,