Several alternative practitioners failed to obtain the right to use autologous blood therapy before the Federal Constitutional Court. The constitutional judges thus confirmed a decision of the Federal Administrative Court. This had determined that alternative practitioners were not allowed to draw blood for treatments.
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The Transfusion Act determines who can draw blood. This stipulates that only doctors or other qualified personnel under medical responsibility can carry out the procedure. There are exceptions, however, particularly for homeopathic autologous blood products, where only a small quantity of blood is required. Alternative practitioners relied on it.
Judges criticize inaccurate information
Judges in Karlsruhe rejected constitutional appeals against the ban as insufficient. During the procedure, alternative practitioners reported adding ozone, an oxygen-ozone mixture, or homeopathic remedies to the drawn blood and then reinfusing it.
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However, this description did not go far enough for the judges. Only if the treatment methods had been described in detail could the court have decided whether the plaintiffs’ fundamental rights had been violated.
The judges pointed out that there are different treatments with autologous blood. Some of them are prohibited, but others may not be. The respective health the risks are particularly important when considering proportionality. In this regard, alternative practitioners have not conclusively demonstrated any violation of fundamental rights.
No Evidence for Effectiveness of Autologous Ozone Blood Therapies
Ozone is gaseous at room temperature and has strong antimicrobial properties, which is why it is used, for example, to disinfect large areas or water from sewage treatment plants. At high concentrations, ozone irritates the respiratory tract.
There is no evidence that autologous ozone blood therapies are effective, although some studies repeatedly suggest they are. However, these generally have strong methodological weaknesses, for example the absence of a control group or a very small number of participants.
The profession of alternative practitioner is criticized on several occasions because there is no transparent and binding training content.
Several alternative practitioners failed to obtain the right to use autologous blood therapy before the Federal Constitutional Court. The constitutional judges thus confirmed a decision of the Federal Administrative Court. This had determined that alternative practitioners were not allowed to draw blood for treatments.
The Transfusion Act determines who can draw blood. This stipulates that only doctors or other qualified personnel under medical responsibility can carry out the procedure. There are exceptions, however, particularly for homeopathic autologous blood products, where only a small quantity of blood is required. Alternative practitioners relied on it.
