• found the first Institute of Geriatrics in the world (on January 22 1952), which has gerontology research and third-age medical assistance as its main object of activity.
• channel its researches on three directions: clinical, experimental and social researches, which structure is nowadays recommended by WHO (Kiev, 1963) as a model for similar institutions.
• Devise a medicine to b efficient for the prevention of the aging process and for the therapy of third-age pathological situations - which is the Gerovital H3.
• devise a therapeutic strategy to prevent and treat aging.
• organize a national health network for the prevention of aging.
The Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics was founded in 1952 as the first institution of this kind by Decision of the Ministerial Cabinet. In 1974 it became a National Institute and in 1974 it took the name of "Ana Aslan". From its beginnings the Institute was led by Prof. Acad. Ana Aslan M.D.
until 1988. It has had medical geriatric assistance and social gerontology research as main activities. The Institute was commended in 1964 as a model of geriatric institution by WHO.
The Institute was extended in 1974 by a new clinic of outstanding interior and large spaces, located in Otopeni town on an area of 32 ha.
The Institute Headquarter building located on Caldarusani Street Nr.9, Bucharest, is a national architectural patrimony building. It was designed by architect Ion Mincu and it has ceramic decorations in Romanian style.
The first medicine designed to delay human aging was developed between 1946 and 1956 as the result of various clinical and experimental researches by Prof. Ana Aslan and her followers. These results were presented within a work called "Novocain- eutrophic and antiaging factor", published in 1955 together with Prof. C. I. Parhon. One year later, in 1956, "Gerovital" is introduced to international medicine world at the Congress Therapiewoche in Karlsruhe, and then at the Congress on Gerontology in Basel.
International awards - Meritto della Republica Italiana, Knight of the New Europe - Italy, Knight of Maltese Order - France, Commander of Orange Nassau Order - Holland, Dame of Collar of the Saint Graal - France, Citizenship International Award - Philippines, The Prize and the Medal Léon Bernard awarded by WHO for exceptional contributions in the field of social medicine and geriatrics, the Prize of Foundation Franzheim from Franzheim Buckminster Fuller Synergy Trust, which is awarded for scientific activity on public health - the above awards are only a few of the international recognitions of her prodigious activity to serve human health.
Ana Aslan (1897-1988, born in Braila)
The results of this study are presented within the work Novocaine - eutrophic and antiaging factor, published in 1955 in collaboration with Prof. C. I. Parhon. Prof. Ana Aslan's theory was received with skepticism, but it proved its correctness in the years that followed. Her work together with pharmacist Elena Polovrageanu resulted in Gerovital H3, which is a gerontologic medicine designed to reduce aging processes at molecular level and consequently reduce third-age chronic and degenerative diseases. Gerovital was introduced to the international medicine world at The Congress Therapiewoche in Karlsruhe, and then at The European Congress of Gerontology in Basel.
From that point, Romanian researches in this field gained international recognition. Tests and comparisons with other similar medicine in the world began.
In 1960 Prof. Ana Aslan started to develop a new product, which apart procaine contained Aslavital, an activating and antiatherogenous factor.
34 years later, in 1985, Prof. Ana Aslan published in "Romanian Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics" her work "Techniques and effects of Gerovital H3 treatment--after 34 years of use". This work is a synthesis of the research made by Prof. Ana Aslan and her followers during this period and points out to the studies made in other countries that confirmed the superiority of the Romanian product on other similar products.
The clinical characteristics of the treatment by procaine on third-age patients are mainly the reduction of depression and anxiety, improvement of the will to live, growth of physical and intellectual capability (especially memory, auditory, visual and olfactive apparata, improvement of the aspect of skin and hair), the reduction of senile specks and keratosis, growth of muscular tonus and articulation mobility, growth and repigmenting of hair, normalization of arterial pressure.
All these clinical observations have been verified by experience. Gerovital was certified to have a stimulatory action on liver regeneration, gastric mucus membrane and bone marrow, and also on the regeneration of striated muscles and peripheral nerves. Gerovital H3 also produces physiologic and morphologic regeneration of striated muscles and peripheral nerves. Studies on nervous dystrophy demonstrated the superior efficiency when the treatment is applied before dystrophy takes place, which fact proves Gerovital H3 efficient to use for prevention purposes.
Using Gerovital H3 on prevention purposes was the basis of the researches on which Ana Aslan proceeded in the field of Social Gerontology. Within the Institute of Geriatrics, a section with a field of activity on medical, social, economic, psychological, demographical, ecological and cultural aspects of the aging process was founded. The geronto-prophylaxis activity was developed at national level and allowed the development of multidisciplinary researches (medicine, psychology, sociology, economy, etc.)
The study of human longevity, intergenerational study with regard to the social image of the aged people, the study of demographical aging are only a few aspects that showed the increasing need for fundamental and applied researches of social gerontology. On this basis, The National Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology devised in 1997 the National Program for medical and social assistance of aged population in Romania
The results of the researches performed by the group of medics and researchers under the lead of Prof. Ana Aslan were published in journals of international recognition ( Therapeutische Umschau, Revue Française de Gérontologie, Journal of Gerontology, Journal of Pharmacological Experimental Therapy) and also were the object of presentations to international scientific events( Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Aging, Miami, USA 4th International Symposium of Basic Research in Gerontology in Varnerg, Sweden , 10th International Congress of Gerontology, Jerusalem, Israel the 6th International Congress of Gerontology Denmark, Copenhagen the 11th International Congress of Gerontology Tokyo, Japan) Some results appeared as treatises published at well-known publishers from abroad ( Columbia University Press - New York, Editorial NBP - Buenos Aires, Consultants Bureau Inc. - New York ).
The enormous work of Prof. Ana Aslan as a physician as a researcher, as of her group under her leadership, was unanimously appreciated on international level and was also recognized as an incontestable priority for Romania.
