Autohaemotherapy after treatment of blood with ozone. A reappraisal.

Autohaemotherapy, involving bland treatment ex vivo of blood with ozone and prompt reinfusion into the donor, is a procedure mainly performed in central Europe, which is claimed to have therapeutic value in circulatory disorders, viral diseases and cancer. This practice is mostly performed in private clinics, and good clinical trials have not been published, which has understandably given rise to prejudice and scepticism. By analysing possible mechanisms of action and current hypotheses, this report attempts to explain how this procedure can be useful in such disparate diseases. The current state of the art is presented objectively, the lack of toxicity is documented, and the rationale and therapeutic advantages are discussed, with the aim of eliciting interest in carrying out controlled clinical trials.