Football identity Ricky Nixon criticised by medical professionals for pushing unproven IV Infusions

Doctors have blasted controversial ex-sports agent Ricky Nixon for selling a potentially dangerous $350 intravenous infusion treatment.

Ricky Nixon is offering IV Infusions for $350 for those who ‘want a totally revitalised life and feel’. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Disgraced player agent Ricky Nixon has been slammed by doctors for pushing unproven intravenous infusion treatments to vulnerable Victorians.

Mr Nixon announced this week he was accepting bookings after striking up a partnership to offer IV Infusions for $350 for those who “want a totally revitalised life and feel”.

The fallen football identity’s latest venture follows the launch of his “ambulance” to provide mobile health services during the Covid pandemic.

Experts warn the treatments – which include inserting a cannula into an arm and pumping in a litre of fluid containing various substances over 15 minutes – are not only useless and lack any medical evidence, but potentially dangerous.

Mr Nixon has been promoting his ‘IV Infusion Range’ on Instagram.

Another of his Instagram posts.

The venture is described as an ‘exciting IV Infusion Range’. Picture: Supplied

The booking form shows it will cost $350 for ‘the works’. Picture: Supplied

Concerned health authorities say they may be powerless to act against Mr Nixon if he is employing qualified nurses or doctors to undertake the procedures.

But it is understood authorities are examining whether Mr Nixon’s past indiscretions could prevent him running a health business.

In his online booking form, Mr Nixon charges $350 for “The Works” infusion, $290 for a 500ml ­“Immune Boost”, and $290 for a “Skin Brightening” ­formula he claims can fight the signs of ageing.Australian Medical Association Victoria president Roderick McRae said Mr Nixon’s services “raise red flags at every point”.

Mr Nixon is under fire from doctors for pushing unproven intravenous infusion treatments. Picture: AAP

“It’s very intriguing how interesting characters seem to offer often vulnerable ­patients information for very large sums of money, and a fool and their money are easily separated,” Dr McRae said.

“There’s no evidence any of this helps with Covid and, frankly, there’s no evidence that this helps with anything.”

Dr McRae said anyone seeking medical advice or management for any condition should consult a general practitioner rather than seek unproven and unregulated services, such as Mr Nixon’s, on social media.

He also urged any qualified nurses employed by Mr Nixon’s service to instead ditch the unproven treatments and work in a public hospital to ease the ongoing pandemic pressures.

David Story, professor of anaesthesia and head of the University of Melbourne’s ­department of critical care, said infusions such as those offered by Mr Nixon should only ever be prescribed by a doctor.

“I’m very uncomfortable with that,” Professor Story said. “Fluid therapy is a drug and it needs to be prescribed by a doctor.”

Mr Nixon launched an ‘ambulance’ to provide mobile health services during the Covid pandemic. Picture: Facebook

Treatments marketed by Mr Nixon may be tolerated by healthy people, Prof Story said, but could cause major ­issues for those with conditions such as heart failure.

He warned those levels of fluids could alter the chemistry of a patient’s blood, potentially triggering dangerous reactions.

Even doctors needing to administer similar supplements to patients in intensive care use feeding tubes rather than IV infusions to overcome safety concerns.

Prof Story said inserting a cannula into a patient’s arm to administer IV infusions should only be undertaken by a specialist due to the very real dangers it presented.

“The risks are pain, bruising and bleeding, vein damage, the vein clotting and then damage to other structures such as arteries, if you are really unlucky,” he said.

Mr Nixon did not return calls to the Herald Sun on Tuesday.

But in an Instagram post on Monday, he promoted the start of his expanded IV infusion service for those who “want a totally revitalised life and feel”.

Australian Medical Association Victoria president Dr Roderick McRae says Mr Nixon’s services ‘raise red flags at every point’. Picture: Hamish Blair

“Excited to announce I’ve finally put together an exciting IV infusion range via a partnership between Vital Health Checks & Ritual Biohacking in Port Melbourne,” Mr Nixon posted.

“We will be starting this Friday.”

Mr Nixon has also been using social media to advertise his Vital Health Checks venture, which he claims is the “No.1 mobile health business” offering health and laser skin checks as well as flu and Covid vaccinations.

The website states its “super mobile health vans” can visit businesses to provide general and mental health checks for up to 350 workers, undertaken by qualified and certified nurses.

But the vans again landed Mr Nixon in court last year after racking up parking fines in Port Melbourne.

While fighting fines Mr Nixon told Melbourne Magistrate’s Court he was using the “ambulance” to help people with Covid.

After playing for Carlton and St Kilda Mr Nixon became one of the most high-profile sporting agents in Australia before suffering from drug and alcohol addiction and facing a drink driving charge following a crash with a tram.

He again faced controversy in 2011 over claims of an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old, fleeing to London after admitting to visiting the schoolgirl at a hotel room and providing her with alcohol.

When the AFL Player’s Association suspended Mr Nixon’s player agent accreditation in 2011 he sold his Flying Start business.

In 2013 Mr Nixon was sentenced to 200 hours community service after pleading guilty to charges over the assault of his former fiance and attempting to flee police, only to be caught driving while intoxicated and with a suspended license later that year.

Although he launched “Chicken Train” stand-up comedy routine in 2013, he again faced police and AFL investigations in 2021 over accusations he was selling fake premier memorabilia he claimed was for a children’s charity.