Fraudulent 'Veterinary Practice,' Clinic in Magelang Prosecuted by BPOM Turns Out to Provide Illegal Secretom Injections

BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar delivers a statement regarding the crackdown on illegal secretom product distribution facilities during a press conference in Jakarta, Wednesday (August 27, 2025). ANTARA/Tri Meilani Ameliya.

JAKARTA - The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has taken action against a veterinary clinic located in North Magelang District, Magelang, Central Java, for distributing illegal secretome products, including stem cell derivatives.

"This finding is the result of BPOM supervision, which was followed up with action by BPOM Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS) together with the PPNS Supervisory Coordinator (Korwas) of the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri)," said BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar at a press conference in Jakarta, Antara News Agency, on Wednesday, August 27.

He also stated that the economic value of the discovery reached IDR 230 billion.

Furthermore, Taruna explained that the action against the facility stemmed from public reports regarding alleged illegal medical practices by veterinarians on human patients.

The treatment involved injecting illegal secretome products intramuscularly into patients, such as the arm.

The illegal facility was located in a densely populated residential area and provided therapy and treatment to patients, mostly human patients.

"This facility was camouflaged by displaying a signboard that read "Veterinary Practice," said Taruna.

From the crime scene investigation (TKP), the BPOM (National Agency of Drug and Food Control) team found and secured finished products, including illegal secretom without a distribution permit, packaged in 1.5 ml Eppendorf tubes ready for injection. Furthermore, 23 bottles of secretom in 5-liter bottles were found stored in a refrigerator.

There was also a cream containing secretom for wound treatment. Injection equipment and a thermos flask with stickers displaying the patient's identity and full address were also found at the scene.

The illegal secretom products had been used by patients from various regions in Indonesia. All evidence of the illegal secretom products found was confiscated by the BPOM (National Agency of Drug and Food Control) PPNS and stored in the evidence warehouse at the BPOM Center in Yogyakarta.

Officers have also named the owner of the YHF facility as a suspect and have taken statements from 12 witnesses for further investigation.

On the same occasion, Taruna stated that in this illegal practice, the perpetrators lured potential consumers by claiming that the secretom product could prevent cancer, increase stamina, prolong youth, and treat difficult-to-treat diseases.

In reality, he continued, the use of illegal secretom products can trigger a number of fatal side effects, such as kidney failure, heart failure, and even death.

The distribution of these illegal secretom products is suspected of violating the criminal law as stipulated in Article 435 in conjunction with Article 138 paragraph (2) and Article 436 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 145 paragraph (1) of Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health.

This regulation states that business actors who produce or distribute pharmaceutical preparations that do not meet standards and/or requirements for safety, efficacy/benefit, and quality can be subject to a maximum prison sentence of 12 years or a maximum fine of IDR 5 billion. Then, perpetrators who carry out pharmaceutical work without expertise and authority can also be subject to a maximum prison sentence of 5 years or a maximum fine of IDR 200 million.