George Santos' attack on Colombian Botox is 'completely false,' Medical Tourism Association CEO says

• A leaked audio recording of George Santos revealed him disparaging Colombian Botox treatments as "diluted."

• The Medical Tourism Association CEO rejects that premise, calling it "completely false."

• "Colombia has some amazing high quality healthcare," Jonathan Edelheit told Insider.

A leaked audio recording of Rep. George Santos revealed he has strong opinions on where to get Botox that are apparently deeply offensive to the medical tourism industry.

"Stop going to Colombia for your diluted Botox," the New York Republican told his former office volunteer, Derek Myers, according to the recording obtained by Talking Points Memo.

The comment riled the CEO of the Medical Tourism Association, who called it yet another "absurd" statement from the embattled Santos.

"That comment is completely false," Jonathan Edelheit told Insider.  "Colombia has some amazing high quality healthcare. If you go to the right physicians, clinics or hospitals you are not going to be receiving diluted Botox."

Myers, in a text with Insider, concurred.

"It is not diluted, and the place I go to is world renowned," Myers said of his Colombian Botox treatments. "In fact, they show you everything from opening the bottle, to the labels. It is more superb, and the best treatment I've ever received in any medical setting. Medical tourism is a big deal."

Santos, at the center of scandals about lies on his resume and investigations of his finances, was recorded in his Capitol Hill office by Myers, who was ultimately asked to leave, according to the TPM story. During their conversation, the topic of Botox came up when Myers said he received cheaper treatments in Colombia.

Santos responded, "I spend a lot more than that on Botox, but I trust the people."

Santos' staff did not respond to a request for comment.

Edelheit said he helped launch Colombia's medical tourism initiative 10 years ago, they have "amazing" doctors and hospitals, and they've worked hard on building their brand.

"I was upset and sad to see that someone could just, you know, try to take a swipe at them to distract from other issues, you know, and to attack a whole country's national healthcare system," he said.

Bad doctors or attorneys can be found around the world and patients need to choose wisely, he said, flagging a a story about the sale of fake Botox at a clinic in Miami.

"You could receive diluted botox here in the US or receive Botox that isn't even real, or by a doctor here who actually isn't a doctor," he said.

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