Hangover Infusions and Rejuvenation: Cyprus Wellness Centers Under the Microscope

Wellness centers in Cyprus offering hangover drips, intravenous vitamin cocktails, and anti-aging treatments are under investigation. The investigation involves at least ten facilities. The investigation is examining, among other things, staff qualifications, the medications used, and the conditions under which treatments are performed.

The Ministry of Health, the police, legal services, and the Cyprus Medical Chamber are involved in the operation. Some facilities have already been inspected, and information about some has been passed on to the police. However, an inspection alone does not constitute a finding of illegal activity—each case requires a separate assessment.

Wellness Centers in Cyprus. Where does service end and medicine begin?

The facilities surveyed are not licensed to operate as private hospitals or clinics. However, they advertise treatments and use terms that may suggest professional medical care.

This border is one of the main areas of inspection. Authorities verify what procedures are being performed and whether they can be offered at a given location and by the people employed there.

The name "wellness" does not determine the nature of the treatment. What matters is what is actually administered to the customer, how it is administered and using what equipment.

The local conditions and the scope of declared medical supervision also remain to be verified. The presence of a doctor's name in the advertisement does not yet answer all these questions.

Drips for energy, hangovers and "rejuvenation"

Facilities promote intravenous infusions of vitamins, antioxidants, and other substances. Advertised benefits include improved immunity, increased energy, reduced fatigue, and support for post-exercise recovery.

Some offers are aimed at people recovering from a sleepless night or alcohol consumption. Others claim to improve metabolism, reduce body fat, and improve skin appearance.

Advertisements also feature slogans about “cellular rejuvenation,” delaying aging, and longevity.

These are advertising promises, not confirmation of the effectiveness of specific treatments. They should not be presented as established health benefits.

You have to pay up to several hundred euros for the procedure.

Advertised intravenous treatments typically cost around €120–160. Facilities also offer promotions, lowering the prices of individual services.

Aesthetic treatments using injectables can cost several hundred euros. However, the price alone and the attractive description of the offer do not allow us to assess the qualifications of the person performing the procedure or the conditions under which it was performed.

Therefore, inspectors check the substances used, as well as the staff, premises, equipment and the way the business is advertised.

Plasmapheresis equipment in one facility

Among the cases being investigated is a facility equipped with a plasmapheresis device – a procedure involving the separation of plasma from other blood components.

The possession of such equipment is one of the elements that must be verified. However, it does not, in and of itself, prove that the procedure was performed or that a violation of regulations was detected.

The services must determine what the device was used for, who operated it and under what conditions.

The police are determining the addresses of companies advertising on the internet.

The Cybercrime Unit has also been involved in the operation, helping to identify the physical addresses of companies that promote online treatments but do not clearly indicate their location.

The Cyprus Medical Chamber, in turn, is examining doctors' collaboration with such facilities. Their actual qualifications, scope of duties, and the way they present their services to clients are all important.

The inspections concern specific facilities and procedures. They do not constitute grounds for declaring all wellness centers illegal. Any liability will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Source: Philenews.