Year: 2014

Recommended reading for innovative, evidence-based medicine

evidence-based-medicine

One of my goals is promoting evidence-based medicine and science-based medicine that is in the best interest of the community including patients. Below is a list of recommended reading for you including mostly blogs, but also other resources that should be on your regular must-read list. Some are stem cell-focused, while most are broader. California …

Recommended reading for innovative, evidence-based medicine Read More »

Perspectives on final RIKEN report on STAP cell scandal & what comes next

STAP-cells-FIgure

The Japanese research institute RIKEN has come full circle in a way on the STAP cell scandal. Note that the STAP papers included not only authors from RIKEN, but also from Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School. With its final report released today (also a powerpoint of images were released including the one showing a …

Perspectives on final RIKEN report on STAP cell scandal & what comes next Read More »

Response from Stemedica on Stem Cell Treatment of Howe

stemedica

I have heard back from Stemedica on some questions I had on their role in the stem cell intervention done on hockey legend Gordie Howe. I heard from Marcie J. Frank, VP at Stemedica for Investor Relations. I want to thank her for answering the questions and doing so so quickly.   Q: Did Stemedica write the …

Response from Stemedica on Stem Cell Treatment of Howe Read More »

Checking Supposed Stem Cell Miracle for Gordie Howe

gordie-howe_001-4_3

One of the bigger stem cell stories in the past week was that hockey legend Gordie Howe had received a stem cell ‘treatment” that had “miraculous” positive effects after having a few strokes over the last couple months. (update: see more on celebrities rolling the dice on unproven stem cells here). I am highly skeptical of …

Checking Supposed Stem Cell Miracle for Gordie Howe Read More »

FDA Draft Guidance Views Fat Stem Cells As Drugs

FDA2

With a new document released today the FDA is more clearly on a path to regulate dubious stem cell clinics in the US. Update: in the years since this post, the FDA has more concretely defined autologous adipose stem cells as drug products. There are more than 100 such American clinics that are selling stem …

FDA Draft Guidance Views Fat Stem Cells As Drugs Read More »

Obokata Can’t Reproduce STAP Cells

Obokata-press-conference

Signaling a nightmare ending to what was originally a fairy tale scientific story, the Japanese press (e.g. here) are reporting that Haruko Obokata has herself been unable to make STAP cells again as part of a RIKEN team testing STAP under watchful supervision. In advance of a scheduled RIKEN press conference tomorrow, newspapers including Asahi Shimbun are …

Obokata Can’t Reproduce STAP Cells Read More »