When attached to such tissue, leeches suck out surplus venous blood, enabling freshly oxygenated blood to enter and nourish the area until it heals on its own. One of the most striking things about live leech therapy, as it is practiced in these clinics, is its accessibility. While proponents of hirudotherapy claim that “Medical leeches significantly improve the prognosis of liver disease,” there is a dearth of credible support. It may be some time before we can come up with robust evidence for the efficacy and safety of leech therapy. “Leeches and the Legitimizing of Folk-Medicine.” Asimov Press (2025).