FDA Issues Warning Against 'Vampire Treatments'

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The FDA says infusion of young blood known popularly known as "vampire treatments" have no proven clinical benefit to cure or treat any age-related problems.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the warning this week as such treatments gain in popularity across the country, including in Los Angeles.

"There is no proven clinical benefit of infusion of plasma from young donors to cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent these conditions, and there are risks associated with the use of any plasma product," a statement from the FDA said in part.

Plasma is the liquid portion of blood and contains proteins that help clot blood. But the FDA says that even approved uses of plasma infusions are associated with risks like allergic reactions, transfusion associated circulatory overload and infectious disease transmission.

Clinics offering the treatment offer plasma from young donors, with some falsely claiming the infusions can treat Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. Such treatments can cost up to $12,000.

"Simply put, we're concerned that some patients are being preyed upon by unscrupulous actors touting treatments of plasma from young donors as cures and remedies," the FDA said. "There are reports of bad actors charging thousands of dollars for infusions that are unproven and not guided by evidence from adequate and well-controlled trials."

The FDA says patients should consult their physicians before considering such therapies.