Ana Aslan

Ana Aslan (1897-1988) was a Romanian biologist and physician. She is considered to be a founding figure of gerontology and geriatrics. In 1952, under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Ana Aslan, the Geriatric Institute in Bucharest was founded. This Institute was the first of its kind and was recognized by the World Health Organization.


Ana Aslan studied at the Faculty of Medicine in Bucharest (1915-1922). She was professor of Cardiology at the Faculty of Medicine in Timişoara (1945-1949). Between 1949 and 1952 she was head of department at the Institute of Endocrinology in Bucharest. Starting in 1952 she became General Director of the Institute of Geriatrics. As one of the pioneering scientists in the world on medical gerontology, Ana Aslan focused also on social gerontology. Ana Aslan proposed systematic countermeasures in order to create a system to stimulate third-age people's activities. Ana Aslan became aware of the long-term biotrophic action of Procaine and introduced it as a medicine to be taken in small quantity on long terms, for curing and prophylactic benefits. The Gerovital H3 is the first Romanian original biotrophic product and also the first medicine designed to delay human aging processes. It was developed between 1946 and 1956 by Prof. Ana Aslan and her followers, as a result of numerous clinical and experimental studies.

Ana Aslan is renowned for her essential contribution to gerontological research as well as for having patterned the best geriatric treatment influencing the aging process. Ana Aslan was the first person to rule out the fatalistic approach to aging, providing a new method in gerontology by opening the way to the prevention and treatment of old age. Notables such as French President Charles De Gaulle, U.S. President John F. Kennedy, West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong, and Vietnamese Chairman Ho Chi Minh have traveled to Romania to benefit this anti-aging therapy. Other well-known people, including actresses Marlene Dietrich, Lillian Gish, the Gabor sisters, actors Charlie Chaplin and Kirk Douglas, and artist Salvador Dalí have also followed the same path.


Many 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.

The Romanian School of Gerontology was the first in the world to:
• 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 be 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.