Rosenheimer Str. 6-8, 83043 Bad Aibling, Germany · info@clinicum-stgeorg.de
Since 1994
From a serendipitous discovery in 1994 to the development of today’s advanced multimodal protocols, St. George Hospital has been at the forefront of understanding and treating this complex illness.
A reasonable instinct. Any clinic can write a treatment page. Fewer can say how they arrived at their method, what they observed first, and what they changed along the way. You want the origin, not the brochure.
This page tells how the Lyme program began in 1994, what was observed, and how the protocol has developed since.
St. George Hospital was founded in 1991 by the late Friedrich Douwes M.D. (1945–2022) in Bad Aibling, Bavaria, with a vision that complex chronic illnesses require an integrative approach combining the best of conventional medicine with complementary therapies, guided by clinical experience and a deep commitment to the patient.
The Lyme disease program began not through deliberate planning, but through a remarkable clinical observation. In 1994, a patient with metastasized breast cancer arrived for oncological treatment. Dr. Douwes treated her with whole-body hyperthermia as part of her cancer protocol. The next morning during rounds, she told him something he would never forget — words that would change the direction of the hospital forever.
That patient had undiagnosed Lyme disease. The hyperthermia had dramatically improved her neurological symptoms. Six months later, another cancer patient with undiagnosed Lyme experienced a similarly striking improvement after hyperthermia. Dr. Douwes began investigating the connection and realized that the elevated temperatures were killing the Borrelia spirochetes. This observation became the foundation of over 30 years of clinical innovation.
“Dr. Douwes, what did you do? You put the sun back in my brain.”
A cancer patient with undiagnosed Lyme disease, after her first whole-body hyperthermia session — 1994
Dr. Friedrich Douwes establishes St. George Hospital in Bad Aibling, Bavaria, as a center for integrative medicine and advanced treatment of chronic diseases, with a particular focus on oncology and biological therapies.
A patient with metastasized breast cancer arrives for treatment. Dr. Douwes treats her with whole-body hyperthermia as part of her cancer protocol. The next morning during rounds, she tells him: “Dr. Douwes, what did you do? You put the sun back in my brain.” She had undiagnosed Lyme disease — the hyperthermia had dramatically improved her neurological symptoms.
Six months later, another cancer patient with undiagnosed Lyme disease experiences a similarly remarkable improvement in neurological symptoms following hyperthermia treatment. Dr. Douwes begins researching the connection between hyperthermia and Borrelia, realizing that the elevated temperatures are killing the Lyme spirochetes.
Based on these clinical observations, St. George Hospital begins strategically treating Lyme disease patients with whole-body hyperthermia combined with targeted antibiotic therapy. Early results are remarkable, and the hospital develops its first dedicated Lyme disease protocol.
The clinical team identifies that many treatment-resistant Lyme patients harbor co-infections, particularly Bartonella, Babesia, and Ehrlichia. Comprehensive co-infection testing is added to the standard diagnostic workup. Word spreads among the global Lyme disease community, and patients begin traveling from across Europe, the United States, and beyond.
Decades of clinical experience are synthesized into the comprehensive multimodal protocol. I.V. laser therapy (Photodynamic Therapy), advanced immune modulation, and expanded supportive care are integrated. Treatment outcomes are systematically tracked and protocols are refined based on data from thousands of patients.
Under Dr. Julian Douwes (CMO), the Lyme program has evolved into the modular structure used today: the Core Lyme module, Co-Infection Module, and Microbiome Restore Week. The hospital treats patients from 60+ countries, continuously refining protocols that trace their origin to that remarkable morning in 1994.
“When I first began treating Lyme patients, many colleagues told me that chronic Lyme disease did not exist. Forty years and thousands of patients later, I know that it is one of the most significant infectious diseases of our time, and it demands the full attention of the medical community.”
Friedrich Douwes M.D. (1945–2022)
Founder of St. George Hospital
Our clinical experience with thousands of patients leaves no doubt that Borrelia infection can persist beyond standard antibiotic treatment and cause debilitating chronic illness. The science now supports what we observed clinically decades ago.
The majority of chronic Lyme patients carry one or more co-infections. Treating Borrelia alone while ignoring Bartonella, Babesia, or other co-pathogens will not produce lasting results. Comprehensive testing is not optional.
A two-to-four week course of antibiotics is inadequate for established chronic Lyme disease. The biology of Borrelia, its ability to change form, create biofilms, and evade the immune system, demands a more comprehensive approach.
There is no one-size-fits-all Lyme treatment. Each patient presents with a unique combination of infection, immune status, organ involvement, co-infections, and treatment history. Individualized protocols based on thorough diagnostics produce the best outcomes.
No single therapy addresses all dimensions of chronic Lyme disease. The best outcomes come from combining multiple, synergistic treatments that attack the infection, support the immune system, and restore the body's ability to heal.
Too many Lyme patients have been dismissed, disbelieved, or told their symptoms are psychological. We have learned that listening carefully to the patient's history is often more revealing than any single laboratory test. Clinical judgment, guided by experience, remains indispensable.
Hospital Founded
After more than 30 years, our commitment to Lyme disease patients is stronger than ever. We continue to refine our treatment protocols based on new research, clinical outcomes, and the evolving understanding of tick-borne illness.
Current areas of focus include:
The patients who trust us with their care inspire us to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible in Lyme disease treatment. Every case teaches us something new, and every recovery reinforces our conviction that this work matters.
Developed through decades of clinical experience, our apheresis protocol removes Lyme-related inflammatory complexes from the blood.
What H.E.L.P. apheresis involves →A cornerstone of our Lyme program since the early years, whole-body hyperthermia exploits the heat sensitivity of Borrelia spirochetes.
What a whole-body hyperthermia session involves →One of the original biological therapies in our Lyme protocol, medical ozone provides both antimicrobial and immune-modulating effects.
What ozone therapy involves →A newer addition to our Lyme program, PDT targets biofilm-protected Borrelia that evade conventional antibiotics.
What photodynamic therapy involves →International Patient
8 Years Post-Treatment
“I came for treatment for an inoperable Chondrosarcoma which was classed as terminal in 1998. I was 28 years old. I am now 55 with 4 beautiful children.”
International Patient, Australia
27 Years Cancer-Free — A Testament to the Hospital’s Legacy
A video consultation in English before you travel. A physician reviews your findings first; we reply by email within one business day (Mon–Fri).
Mon–Thu 08:00–17:00, Fri 08:00–14:00 (CET/CEST)+49 8061 398-0info@clinicum-stgeorg.de
St. George Hospital is a specialist hospital, not an emergency department. In a medical emergency in Germany, dial 112.
