Search Results for: Kurtzberg

Joanne Kurtzberg interview, Part 2: clinics & stem cell field future

210_KurtzbergJoanne2012-200x3001

I recently conducted an interview with Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg of Duke. You can see Part 1 of the interview here. Today in Part 2, I asked Dr. Kurtzberg some broader questions about the stem cell field. 1. How concerned are you about non-compliant stem cell interventions here in the US as well as stem cell …

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Stem Cell Pioneer Joanne Kurtzberg interview, Part 1

210_KurtzbergJoanne2012-200x3001

Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg is a stem cell pioneer and has advanced the development of innovative stem cell therapies including those based on umbilical cord blood. She is a faculty member at Duke where she conducts her clinical research. I recently interviewed Dr. Kurtzberg and below is Part 1 of 2 of the interview. Part 2, …

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Why did Duke autism team halt its troubling pay-for-play program?

Almost two years ago I publicly called on the FDA to freeze the unproven cord cell expanded access program (EAP) at the Duke Autism Center. Duke has been infusing kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with unproven cord cells and requiring large payments for this. The cost was as much as $15,000. A halt and a …

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Grading my 2022 regenerative medicine predictions

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It’s that time of year again when I grade my previous year’s predictions for the stem cell & regenerative medicine space. Overall, I did better than a typical year. I give the 2022 predictions an A- overall. This exercise can be kind of fun but also humbling. For example, I tend to be too optimistic …

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Review of cord banker Viacord: dubious autism claims & other concerns

Viacord is one of the most well known firms in the for-profit cord blood banking industry. Today’s post is a review of the firm. I see concrete reasons for concern. What is Viacord? | Dubious autism claims | Viacord cost | Overall Review | References What is Viacord? As a cord blood banking firm, Viacord freezes …

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Questions remain after Stem Cells Translational Medicine retracts clinic pub

The Stem Cell Institute, Panama stem cells

I’ve been concerned that the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine has been publishing some iffy papers from unproven stem cell clinics recently including from a Panama stem cell clinic called the Stem Cell Institute. Back in 2019, I took the unusual step of raising the question of whether a Stem Cells Translational Medicine paper from Neil Riordan, …

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Vice tackles dicey Cryo-Cell Duke mega-million peds clinic plan

Cord-blood-autism, Cryo Cell

When I first learned about the multi-$10 million cord cell clinic deal between Duke and Cryo-Cell I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Duke’s involved in this? The problem: marketing unproven cells for kids Yes, this wasn’t some stem cell clinic operating out of a strip mall seeking to make big money off of injecting …

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FDA should freeze Duke EAP & probe $58 million Cryo-Cell deal linked to it

cryo cell infusion clinic marketing

I recently found concerning SEC filings from the biotech Cryo-Cell about a deal it has with a Duke team for infusions of children with unproven umbilical cord cells. This turns out to be a $58 million deal. It relates in a major way to a Duke compassionate use or expanded access program (EAP) that already had raised …

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Fact-checking stem cell therapy for autism: still a risky idea

Duke-Curemark-autism-study-pamphlet

The other day I gave a talk in part about stem cell hype and mentioned as an example how the idea of already doing stem cell therapy for autism seems so misguided to me now.  On the whole, in my view there are major downsides and risks for autistic kids whose parents are already having …

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Duke & Cryo-Cell plan big clinic for unproven infusions of kids

cryo cell duke stem cells autism cp

Professor Joanne Kurtzberg’s clinical work at the Duke Autism Center on umbilical cord blood for autism and cerebral palsy (CP) involves a partnership with a publicly-traded cord blood banking firm called Cryo-Cell. Kurtzberg is also the Medical Director at the firm. In addition they have intellectual property in this area. The Duke team’s efforts, including …

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