Harefuah. 2002 May; 141(5): 433-4, 499.

[Fever and chills following intravenous administration of NeyTumorin--an unconventional xenogenous derived peptides extract]

Ben-Horin S, Zaks N.

Dept. of Medicine F, Sheba Medical Center Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University.

We report a 54 year old patient who was recently diagnosed with retroperitoneal recurrence of colon carcinoma, and who was admitted because of fever and chills. Extensive work-up yielded no source of infection, multiple blood cultures were sterile, and symptoms resolved within two days. During hospitalization, it was learned that her symptoms appeared an hour after a drug named NeyTumorin was administered to her intravenously by an alternative medicine practitioner. NeyTumorin is part of cell therapy, which is an alternative medicine therapy involving the administration of farm animals derived preparation of peptides from several organs, including the diencephalon and hypophysis. This case underscores the risk of invasive alternative medicine treatments, which are not subject to adequate scrutiny by the health authorities.