«Adriano Panzironi illegally practiced the medical profession without having the requirements, advising the elimination of carbohydrates to individuals who had abused them in the past. He wanted to offer treatments created by him – alternatives to traditional medicine – taking advantage of the weak emotional state of patients.” With this motivation, the prosecutor Francesco Paolo Marinaro formulated the request for conviction for the 52-year-old twin brothers Adriano and Roberto Panzironi, accused of abusive practice of the medical profession for having created, starting from 2017, a “miracle diet” – known as ” Life 120” – based on eliminating carbohydrates and taking nutritional supplements sold on their website. For Adriano, the magistrate asked for a sentence of two years and eight months in prison (in addition to the payment of a fine of 40 thousand euros), as “he has always positioned himself as the bearer of knowledge over which he had no competence”. For Roberto, however, the public prosecutor requested a sentence of one year and four months in prison (plus a fine of 20 thousand euros) because “he managed the entire administrative part of the companies related to entrepreneurial activity”. The provincial order of surgeons and dentists of Rome, through its president Antonio Magi, is a civil party.
THE STORY
Thanks to a widespread communication strategy – the television program “Life 120 Channel” (broadcast on digital terrestrial channel 61), the publication of the book “Living 120 years. The truths that no one wants to tell you” and direct interaction with users, through social media and an ad hoc call center – Adriano had created a group of “followers faithful to his dissemination on lifestyle matters”, explained the pm in the chamber. And he added that he had managed to gain their trust “by using simple terms to describe complex issues”.
Naturally, the media success of these personalized diets was immediate, as was the economic success resulting from the sale of various supplements – such as Stress Killer, Vitalife D and Radical Killer – which had brought the two brothers millionaire earnings.
THE EXPERIENCES
But in court, the pseudoscientific theories of the Panzironi brothers were soon dismantled by the testimonies of consultants from the Capitoline Prosecutor’s Office. In particular, the experts confirmed how the products promoted by the defendants contained “substances (such as vitamins C and D or ginseng) incompatible with certain pathologies and capable of causing certain chemical reactions in those who took them”, specified the public prosecutor. The latter then concluded the indictment also asking for «the confiscation of the supplements, of the book “Vivere 120 anni. The truths that no one wants to tell you” and the various publications in the press, but not the execution of their seizure” because Royal Decree no. 561 of 31 May 1946 – containing the rules on the seizure of newspapers and other publications – establishes that «proceeding cannot be made unless by virtue of an irrevocable sentence from the judicial authority».
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