Dr. Andre Waismann
From trauma surgery in Brazil to a ground-breaking opioid treatment that has helped over 25,000 patients worldwide — this is his story.
From Brazil to the World — A Life in Medicine
The story of how one physician's clinical frustration became a treatment that has restored thousands of lives across six continents.
Born to Heal
Dr. Andre Waismann was born in Brazil in 1958 and completed his medical training at Brazil's Serra dos Órgãos University Center in 1981. Initially, he started his medical career as a surgeon and trauma specialist. Later, he added critical care management to his practice. While working in critical care, he noticed that after a continuous opioid based pain management treatment, many patients developed dependency to those medications. Withdrawals from opioid medication became a challenge where patients and doctors would struggle to overcome the obstacle.
“He noticed that after a continuous opioid based pain management treatment, many patients developed dependency to those medications.”
A Combat Physician Under Fire
After his military service in the Israel Defense Forces, he volunteered in Israel's Counter-Terrorism Unit as a combat physician and received the Israeli Police Medal for Distinguished Service after saving lives during battle.
“He received the Israeli Police Medal for Distinguished Service after saving lives during battle.”
Hundreds of Patients, One System
Dr. Waismann became the Medical Director in charge of the Jerusalem district for the Israeli police. Along with other obligations, he became responsible for the treatment of hundreds of inmates addicted to street opiate drugs.
“He became responsible for the treatment of hundreds of inmates addicted to street opiate drugs.”
Refusing to Accept the Status Quo
Dr. Waismann decided to improve the level of care of those inmates. Instead of providing them with opiate substitutes, like methadone, he tried to look for better alternatives. He asked for advice from several specialists in Israel and other countries.
“Instead of providing them with opiate substitutes, like methadone, he tried to look for better alternatives.”
Uncovering the Biological Truth
At that time, the most rational approach he found was trying to precipitate withdrawals with opiate antagonists along with sedation to take the adverse symptoms of the withdrawal. He realized that the biological roots of opioid dependency were no different in a street heroin addict and pain patients.
“He realized that the biological roots of opioid dependency were no different in a street heroin addict and pain patients.”
Science Meets Compassion
Dr. Waismann decided to take this approach and develop a reliable procedure introducing modern techniques of intensive care medicine. He started discussions with senior anesthesiologists and a safe, effective, and humane treatment protocol was developed.
“A safe, effective, and humane treatment protocol was developed.”
A Protocol Born from Evidence
Since starting Rapid Detox in 1994, Dr. Waismann kept developing the protocol in a continuous evidence-based improvement process.
“Since 1994 — a continuous, evidence-based improvement process.”
Beyond Detox — Toward True Healing
After a couple of years of treating patients and ceaseless developments, he abandoned the treatment and redefined its objectives and therapeutic goals of healing opiate dependency — providing treatment for opiate addiction with ANR, achieving unparalleled results.
“He redefined the objectives and therapeutic goals of healing opiate dependency — providing treatment with ANR, achieving unparalleled results.”
The Most Effective Path to Freedom
The ANR treatment became the most effective and safe way of treatment that allows patients to be free from opiate dependency and its side effects, withdrawals, and craving.
“The ANR treatment allows patients to be free from opiate dependency and its side effects, withdrawals, and craving.”
Since then ANR has helped over 25,000 patients worldwide — restoring lives, families, and futures that opioid dependency had threatened to take.
Articles / Media
- Tom Sawicki. “The Miracle Cure?”, The Jerusalem Report, 13 July 1995
- Neri Livne, Hagomel, Ha’Aretz website, 15 March 2004
- Robin Eisner, Hospital Offers Addicts a Choice, ABC News, 6 January 2006
- Can this man really cure drug addiction over night?, The Independent, 2 October 2008
- Meet the Miracle Doctor for Drug Withdrawal, Mako, 10 October 2009
- Yasmin Lidsky, Drug Withdrawal in a Single Day: Why Isn’t It Subsidized?, Ynet, 25 March 2012
- Lior Bayer The Community Line: about gays, drugs and clubs, Mako, April 19, 2013
- Barzilai Presents: Treatment for Withdrawal from Addictive Drugs, Behadrei Haredim, 22 June, 2015
- Uri Pasovsky, The Profit is Painful: What Massive Addiction to Painkillers Looks Like, Calcalist, February 25, 2017
- Cannabis Magazine, Drug Detoxification Expert: “The Cannabis Prohibition Leads to Death”, Cannabis Magazine, 8 May 18
- Jenny Frenkel Shalom, Life Drugs: Drug Addiction in 4 hours, Kan South, Ashkelon, 17 May 18
- Doctors Only, A New Method for Drug Withdrawal developed by an Israeli Doctor to be presented in the UN today, Doctors Only, 26 September 2018
- Meshi Aid, International Honor, The Israeli Doctor that Succeeds in Healing Addicts – to speak in the UN, Ynet, 25 September, 2018
- Karni Eldad, Drug withdrawal in four hours, Makor Rishon, October 31, 2018
- Andre Waismann, To end the opioid crisis, we need to change the way we think about the addiction, Washington Examiner, 23 July 2019
- Andre Waismann, Alternative approaches to battling opioid dependency, Florida Weekly, 15 August 2019
- Dr. Andre Waismann, Mission Impossible; Heroin Hope at Last, Australia Women’s Weekly, 26 September 2019