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Sabyc clinic in Bucharest
Photo: Reuters
Dr. Yair Miron, clinic owner

Report: Romanian fertility clinic grossed 20 million euro

Romanian paper says Israeli-owned clinic probed for egg-trafficking charged 8-10,000 euro per treatment

A Romanian daily reported Tuesday that the Israeli-owned Sabyc fertility clinic, currently embroiled in an egg-trafficking case, was home to at least 2,000 artificial inseminations each priced between 8,000-10,000 euro.

 

The Gardianul's report said the Bucharest-based clinic's earnings were estimated at around 20 million euro altogether.

 

The report said Romanian authorities were investigating whether the clinic altered the egg donors' personal records to make them appear more physically appealing to patients.

 

The authorities have announced they plan to question the hundreds of donors in coming days.

 

The attorney representing those detained in the affair, Titus Sepano, said the clinic had not engaged in trafficking. "Anyone who donates anything, including blood, expects to get something in return," he said. "In this case tax evasion can be probed perhaps, but not international egg trafficking."

 

Professor Nathan Levitt and Dr. Genya Ziskind are among the 30 clinic employees suspected of involvement in the case. The arrests of Dr. Harry Miron and his son Dr. Yair Miron, who own the clinic, were remanded by 29 days on Monday.

 

The Miron duo also own a number of other businesses in Romania, including the trade company Amphora Hyperfarm and a construction company called MGS Trade, which is one of the main assemblers of greenhouses in the country.

 

Their Sybac clinic was authorized by Romania's Transplant Agency just last week. The agency's chairman, Victor Zota, said he did not know of any illegal activity taking place within the clinic.

 

"There was nothing to raise suspicion that eggs were being gathered and money being paid to the donors," he said.

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.21.09, 20:59
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