The heat is rising in a push to deregulate dubious adult stem cell therapies and it is Republicans turning up the thermostat on this emerging pet issue of theirs.
We’ve seen the Texas Medical Board passing weak rules for regulating adult stem cell therapies under pressure from Rick Perry and adult stem cell biotech, Celltex.
There is also a growing national movement to deregulate adult stem cell therapies.
Of course we all want therapies to be developed quickly so as to help people in need, but speeding therapies that are not properly evaluated to patients is a recipe for death. Non-FDA approved adult stem cell therapies are not necessarily safe and most often are unlikely to be effective as I concisely outlined here.
The stem cell grapevine is telling me there is unprecedented concern amongst stem cell leaders about this move for deregulation.
Look for high profile national Republican leaders, possibly even Romney, to start talking about stem cell deregulation in the coming months. These are potentially dark times as dubious adult stem cell pushers are trying to make money off of innocent patients, but we can fight back with education and advocacy.
You say,”Of course we all want therapies to be developed quickly so as to help people in need, but speeding therapies that are not properly evaluated to patients is a recipe for death. ”
but what do you do if you’re terminal? What period of time equates to properly evaluated? What do you do if you are not wealthy and can’t access the best medical care? Texas has some of the best programs as I have read through one of your colleagues web sites listed on your site. Now obviously you don’t want every quack delivering therapies but can’t this development lead to and facilitate viable therapies getting to the marketplace faster in a regulated and transparent way? Instead of opposing it couldn’t the industry call for procedures leading to faster recognition of statistically relevant patient outcomes? I remember reading that Hans Kirstead was offered money to set up a clinic to help the sponsoring family member’s child with a disease…obviously he did not take the person up on the offer, but if he did, would that impugn his body of work? There’s a lot of money raised each year for many diseases…and really what do we collectively have to show for it? I know a lot of mice and rats have been saved but what about people? I like this site and I think you do a great job of educating and informing people but somebody has to start doing things out side the box. Not everything will work and some people will still die…but if you can point to a 100 % proven therapy with no side effects on the market today I would love to read about it.
The current system needs to change in some way as the headline below indicates.
Lab Mistakes Slow Cancer Research
Cancer experts have found that a fifth to a third or more of cancer cell lines tested were mistakenly identified—with researchers unwittingly studying the wrong cancers, slowing progress toward new treatments and wasting precious time and money.
In hundreds of documented cases that undermine a broad swath of research, cancer samples that were supposed to be one type of tumor have turned out to be another, through either careless laboratory handling, mislabeling or other mistakes.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204571404577257513760102538.html?mod=djemalertNEWS
just FYI that petition was signed by mostly advocates of hESC and ACT .. we are definitely pro hesc..
is the bill only for adult stem cells and against hesc?
Mike, you raised some good points. I’ve revised the article accordingly. Thanks.