Current Status of Ozone Therapy -Empirical Developments and Basic Research

Author(s): Wasser, G., Viebahn-Hänsler, R.

Abstract: The authors consider it their task firstly to present ozone therapy against the background of previous empirical data and secondly as based on current findings. Within the context of ozone problems in environment and medicine it is thus their intention to provide general practitioners with a wider basis for participation in ongoing discussions on the application of ozone in prevention and therapy. In addition, the review aims at supporting medical services working for health insurance organizations in their assessment of complementary and/or alternative treatment methods including ozone therapy. Based on established indications and applications, the clinician is given understanding for the use of ozone therapy, a prerequisite for an unbiased cooperation. This practical review is based on case reports from empirical medicine, results of basic research and on working hypotheses on the action of medical ozone, as supported by current publications. The authors, however, do not claim to provide a fully scientific coverage of all the material cited. They rather intend to reduce the negative image of ozone therapy and to foster its acceptance. This aim should be supported both by the recently recommended guidelines on quality improvement and quality assurance of ozone therapy and by the correction and minimization of application errors. The different topical and systemic forms of ozone therapy are described in detail, together with their indications, applications and the therapeutically relevant concentrations of the ozone/oxygen gas mixtures. The adherence to the required state-of-the-art aseptical methods is dealed with, too. Finally, judgements of the Federal Supreme Court ('Bundesgerichtshof') and the Federal Social Court ('Bundessozialgericht') are discussed, which under given circumstances make possible the acceptance of complementary and/or alternative medicine by school medicine and by private and legal health insurances.

Keyword(s): Ozontherapie, systemisch/lokal (Indikationen

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