A 27-year-old Bronx woman died Sunday after losing consciousness during an intravenous infusion of NAD+, a compound marketed for anti-aging and energy benefits, at a Riverdale wellness clinic run by a man with no license to practice medicine in New York.
Elizabeth Baron received the IV infusion at Bereshit Lifestyle Center on Riverdale Avenue in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx around noon on July 19, according to a criminal complaint cited by Gothamist, PIX11, and ABC7 New York. The man who administered it, 55-year-old Luis Rojas Cabrera, is listed on the clinic's website as its founder and owner. Police say Baron lost consciousness immediately after the infusion began, with the IV catheter still in her right hand when she was later found. She was rushed to NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 1:09 p.m.
"I Am Not A Licensed Doctor In New York"
According to the complaint, Cabrera told police after the incident, "I gave her a NAD+ IV. She went unconscious immediately. I called 911. I am a doctor in the Dominican Republic. I have a PA license in Puerto Rico. I am not a licensed doctor in New York. My application is pending. I only have an esthetician license." He reportedly added, "I made a very big mistake. I need to call my family because I have a feeling I will not be home for a while."
Cabrera calls himself "Dr. Rojas" on the clinic's website, where he describes himself as an active surgeon and naturopath in the Dominican Republic and an alternative and holistic medicine practitioner in the United States, claiming to have performed more than 6,000 surgeries during his training in Santo Domingo. Officials confirmed he holds a license in the Dominican Republic but not in New York or anywhere else in the United States as a physician. New York law requires that NAD+ IV therapy be prescribed by a licensed medical professional, which authorities say Cabrera was not.
According to Gothamist, "NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a molecule found in every cell that regulates energy production, DNA repair, and cellular metabolism and is used in some anti-aging treatments despite limited studies on its safety and effectiveness."
Charges Filed, More Possible
Cabrera was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and unauthorized practice of a profession. A judge ordered him to surrender his passport, and his next court date is set for September 9. Authorities say the charges could be upgraded depending on the results of Baron's toxicology report, which may clarify whether her death was directly tied to the infusion itself, potential contamination, or a separate medical event. The FDA has previously warned that sterile-compounded NAD+ products carry a risk of severe endotoxin contamination.
On The Clinic's Name
Bereshit, the clinic's name, is the Hebrew word for "in the beginning," the opening word of the Book of Genesis, and Riverdale is home to a substantial Jewish community.
Although he appeared at one point and was wearing a kippah, there is no indication in any reporting on this case that Cabrera himself is Jewish.
Baron's death has drawn renewed attention to the largely unregulated wellness and "anti-aging" industry, in which treatments involving needles and infusions are sometimes administered outside the oversight that governs licensed medical care.
