Search Results for: duke autism

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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More Duke Autism Center backstory: stem cell ‘magic’ & money

Duke-Curemark-autism-study-pamphlet

Last week I wrote a long post detailing the troubling multimillion-dollar reverberations between the Duke Autism Center and a for-profit stem cell clinic. The clinic in Panama is The Stem Cell Institute. The potential entanglements raise a bunch of questions and concerns. They center on questionable, unproven autism “treatments”. In Duke’s case, their own clinical

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Duke Autism Center has Panama clinic to thank for $10s millions?

Drs.-Neil-Riordan-and-Joanne-Kurtzberg-MSCs-for-autism

What do a Panama stem cell clinic and the Duke Autism Center have in common? More than I might have imagined. It’s a remarkable story that needs telling. Duke Autism Center There is a puzzle when it comes to the controversial idea of using cord blood for autism. Why? Because two of the strongest proponents

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Duke Autism Center trial: no benefit of cord blood for autism

stem cells for autism

A solid new, blinded placebo-controlled Phase II study from the Duke Autism Center clearly shows no benefit of cord blood for autism. Surprisingly, the team has said they are encouraged by the results. As a result, they apparently will continue this kind of work anyway despite their data. In contrast, I see the data as a

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On Duke stem cells for autism trial, did new CNN article hit the mark?

DawsonKurtzberg

What’s the scoop on stem cells for autism? Could stem cells make a real difference for autism patients and their families? CNN has a big, high-profile new article out today on the Duke stem cell trial for autism that has been ongoing for a while and I’m wondering how good a job CNN did on

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Upbeat Update from Duke on Stem Cell Autism Trial, but Questions Remain

210_KurtzbergJoanne2012

In 2014, I reported on a groundbreaking, but debated Duke stem cell-based clinical trial being launched for autism. Where does that trial stand today? (note that as of 2018-2020 I am very skeptical about stem cells for autism) The cord blood trial has continued. It is led by Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg, whom I interviewed about cord blood stem

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Duke Launches Large, Debated Stem Cells for Autism Trial

DawsonKurtzberg

Is there real promise of stem cells for autism? At this point the jury remains out on that question, but a growing number of kids are nonetheless getting such “treatments” at for-profit dubious clinics. Academic clinical researchers are interested in this area as well. Still, the potential use of stem cells to treat autism is

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Given their legal conflict, will Cryo-Cell & Duke still turn to donor units for kids with CP?

Duke Cryo-Cell therapeutic misconception

The Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation recently announced that Cryo-Cell and its long-time partner, a Duke pediatric cell therapy team, have made a key change. They will begin offering infusions of unrelated, unproven cord blood to pediatric patients with cerebral palsy (CP). These are called donor infusions. Up until now, they had mainly focused

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Cryo-Cell alleges Duke acted “fraudulently” related to pediatric cord cell deal

Cryo Cell, Cryo-Cell

Cord blood banker Cryo-Cell and Duke have had a long-running agreement. The potentially multi-million dollar deal has focused on the development of possible umbilical cord blood therapies for pediatric patients. A major first goal has been to open an infusion clinic, which I have been very skeptical about for various reasons. For instance, one big

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Recommended reads: police act on phony autism cure, Aspen starts Parkinson’s trial, reprogramming to iBlastoids

stem cells for autism

People often ask me about stem cells for autism or even their hope of an autism cure. I’ve explained that there is no new treatment for autism based on stem cells. There aren’t even mildly encouraging data. Note that it can be hurtful to the community to talk about an autism cure and disregarding neurodiversity.

Recommended reads: police act on phony autism cure, Aspen starts Parkinson’s trial, reprogramming to iBlastoids Read More »