Stories they tried to erase: why the StopOdrex website is so annoying to the Odrex clinic

The website StopOdrex, created by an initiative group of people who consider themselves or their relatives to be victims of treatment at "Odrex," has become almost the only place where stories of negative experiences related to the clinic are published and stored. Since the website's inception, companies associated with the private Odesa clinic Odrex have already tried to block it twice, reports UNN. 

The main idea behind creating the platform, as the activists themselves state, is to record the personal experiences of former "Odrex" patients, support each other, cover news about the progress of numerous criminal proceedings against the clinic, and collectively fight for justice. 

In addition, one of the main functions of the website is to collect and publish reviews about the "Odrex" clinic. After all, on the StopOdrex website, anyone can tell their story about treatment – openly or anonymously, without fear of pressure from the clinic.

At the same time, as former patients and their relatives note in their stories, most of them had previously tried to share their experiences on popular review aggregators, including Google Maps. However, their stories, they say, disappeared without explanation. That is why the StopOdrex website has become for many almost the last place where they can honestly and safely tell their truth – and be heard.

The path to disability "at a high price"

One such story comes from an anonymous user who turned to Odrex in 2024 after a serious road accident. At that time, she was a minor, so the decision about treatment was made by her parents. As a result of the accident, the girl suffered a torn cruciate ligament in her knee, and later it turned out – also a torn meniscus.

At the "Odrex" clinic, she underwent an operation, after which complications began: her knee regularly "gave out." The doctors of the Odesa clinic assured her that it was temporary, that rehabilitation was needed, and that everything would improve with time. But a year passed – and it did not get better. The pain did not disappear: constant, severe, exhausting.

After a repeated visit and additional examinations, it turned out that the girl also had a torn meniscus, which, according to her, the doctors at the Odrex clinic simply did not notice during the first treatment. The girl was scheduled for a second operation, which was again called "successful."

As the patient recounts, after the second operation, her knee stopped "giving out," but the pain remained the same. Moreover, the knee was completely deformed. In the hospital, this was explained by swelling, which was supposedly supposed to subside over time. But the deformation did not disappear.

During this period, the family spent significant funds on two operations and rehabilitation. The result was constant pain and the actual disability of a young girl. Everything that was promised at the Odrex clinic – recovery, improvement, return to normal life – remained just words. As the author concludes, turning to Odrex was for her not a path to recovery, but a path to disability "at a high price."

Drainage that almost cost a life

Another story is from a woman who underwent surgery at the clinic to clean a Bartholin's gland. After the operation, a bandage drain was inserted, which was supposed to be changed daily. The patient regularly came to the clinic for procedures and followed all the doctors' recommendations.

However, her condition unexpectedly worsened – she repeatedly told the doctor that something was wrong, complaining of weakness and pain. She was sent for new examinations – ultrasound and other procedures, but the cause of the problem could not be determined at "Odrex."

Only after contacting another clinic did it turn out that during one of the dressings, a medic at the "Odrex" clinic did not remove the old bandage from the wound, but pushed it even deeper and put in a new one. This is what caused the woman to develop an infection. 

In another clinic, the old infected bandage was quickly washed out with hydrogen peroxide. All this time, the woman was taking strong antibiotics, which, she believes, actually saved her life.  

Second attempt to silence

Against the backdrop of these stories, the situation with the repeated attempt to block the StopOdrex website is particularly indicative. This time, the blocking did not last long, but the activists call the very fact of pressure an alarming signal.

The stopodrex.com website was attempted to be blocked for the second time since its launch. The reason was a new complaint from a legal entity associated with the Odrex clinic, demanding the complete cessation of the resource's operation. The complaint, filed with the website's domain registrar, stated that the StopOdrex website allegedly violates trademark rights, misleads users, harms the clinic's business reputation, and has no right to publicly use the word "Odrex." It was also claimed that all stories posted on the website are "legally unconfirmed," and the resource itself is "a form of court without a court decision" 

As of now, the complaint has been withdrawn, and the website's operation has been restored. However, some users may experience problems accessing the resource for some time.

Activists regard this situation as another attempt at pressure and intimidation from Odrex. Not the first – and probably not the last. After all, a few weeks ago, a complaint about the website had already been filed, and it was also successfully repelled.

StopOdrex is not a media outlet and does not replace a court. We are a platform for collecting testimonies. For the voices of those who have not been heard for years. For families who have lost loved ones. For patients who consider themselves victims and have the right to speak about it 

"Odrex Case" turns into StopOdrex movement  

The impetus for creating the StopOdrex website was the so-called "Odrex Case," which gained resonance after the death of Ukrainian developer Adnan Kivan. Thus, after the media began actively covering the resonant investigation into the circumstances of the businessman's death – more and more patients and relatives of those who died after treatment at the Odesa clinic "Odrex" began to fearlessly tell their own stories. Journalists even made a documentary film "Wasp's Nest," which shows real stories of victims of treatment at the Odesa clinic. 

Let's add

The Ministry of Health plans to inspect the second of four legal entities of the Odrex clinic known to the media, which is involved in at least 5 criminal proceedings against the clinic. 

At the same time, the Ministry of Health has already conducted an inspection of compliance with the licensing conditions of LLC "Dim Medytsyny" – the legal entity under which the clinic operated for many years and which is involved in criminal proceedings regarding the death of patient Adnan Kivan. According to the results of the inspection, the license issued by the regulator was revoked.