Health experts in China have expressed concern about growing parental interest in using synthetic human growth hormone in their children.
local media quoted by the epoch Beijing Children’s Hospital reported that the number of endocrinologist visits nearly doubled since July, more than 90% of which were parents inquiring about their child’s height. In some cases, parents even ask professionals to directly inject their children with “height-enhancing injections.”
The injection, which results in bone growth and development similar to that produced by growth hormone naturally produced in the human body, has been found by experts to be a growth hormone deficiency, with growth plates not properly fused together. It is prescribed for children who have This treatment is also offered to children with known medical conditions such as Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and short bowel syndrome.
In recent years, demand for “height-boosting shots” has grown so much in other parts of China that health experts have warned about the potential abuse of growth hormone prescriptions.
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according to Nikkei AsiaThese companies are also offering kickbacks, and some hospitals are over-prescribing growth hormone to worried parents. .
Based on 2019 figures, growth hormone powder injections cost about 19,000 yuan (about $2,600), liquid injections about 42,000 yuan (about $5,800), and long-acting injections about 196,000 yuan (about 27,000 dollars). $). Such treatment usually takes two to five years to complete.
Growing demand largest growth hormone companyGeneScience Pharmaceuticals (GeneSci) more than quadrupled annual revenue from 2016 to 2020.
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When large public hospitals turn down parents, many reportedly turn to private hospitals for a prescription for growth hormone. Some people even go there.
Dr. Lin Ming, a pediatric endocrinologist at Wuhan Union Hospital, laments that parents care too much about their children’s height.
“Only a small minority of people really need to use growth hormone therapy. You don’t need growth hormone to grow,” Min told the Epoch Times.
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In a case highlighted in Endocrinology by Huang Ke, deputy director of Zhejiang University Children’s Hospital, a mother who spent a total of 480,000 yuan (about $66,000) on hormone injection treatments for her son grew only 1 cm (0.4 inches). It has something to do with what I couldn’t do.
Another couple claimed to have spent more than 500,000 yuan (about $69,000) to treat their child with growth hormone for two and a half years.
Experts warn healthy children not to undergo such costly treatments. No warranty they will work According to Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital, a successful treatment can result in an increase of up to 4 to 6 centimeters (1.57 inches to 2.36 inches).
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Li Sujie, director of pediatrics at Tianjin’s No. 4 Central Hospital, emphasized the risks of inappropriate use of growth hormone.
Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital echoed these sentiments and urged parents to pay attention to treatment.Other reactions such as accelerated pubertal development and fusion of growth plates.
Experts say improper handling of doses in healthy children can cause edema, cardiomyopathy, insulin resistance, stroke, increased intraocular pressure, arthritis, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, and gynecomastia. I am warning you.
via main image Huang Huan Ning Ai + good medical student
