Arthritis

Update on stem cell treatment cost for 2018 from ongoing poll

stem-cell-treatment-cost

I get asked many questions about stem cell therapies, but one of the most common over the years has been about the stem cell treatment cost. For instance, a reporter might ask, “How much does a stem cell treatment for MS cost?” and a patient might ask me, “How much is a fair cost for …

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Bigger picture study casts big doubts on stem cells for knee arthritis today

Knee arthritis, stem cell therapy for knees

One of the most common claims made by unproven, for-profit stem cell clinics is that the stem cells they are selling can help knee arthritis and associated pain, but what is the evidence to back this up? There are many problems with the claims of stem cells for arthritis being made across the U.S. In …

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10 for 10 on stem cell day: 10 issues for coming 10 years

Stem-Cell-Symbol-300x298

It’s stem cell day! Or more accurately, it is stem cell awareness day. It’s a good time to think about where our field stands and where we’ll be in 10 years. Below, I’ve outlined 10 for 10: 10 things to ponder about stem cells in a 10-year timeframe. Approved Therapies. How many new stem cell …

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Customers rate Nervana stem cell clinic harshly on Yelp

Nervana-Yelp

Sacramento’s Nervana stem cell clinic has been selling non-FDA approved stem cell therapies to patients for a variety of conditions including arthritis, pain, and neuropathy for a while now since last year, but in my opinion there isn’t good evidence to back up using amniotic or fat stem cells for such conditions. Further, my understanding …

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Stem cell therapy cost: if you got a treatment, how much did you pay?

stem-money

Stem cell therapy cost is a moving target. A lot depends on the circumstances. Did you get the therapy at a university or major medical center or like most people these days at a stem cell clinic? Did insurance pay any of the cost and if so, how much? If not, how did you get …

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Cell Surgical Network, largest group of US clinics, using lab-expanded stem cells in patients?

Elliot-Lander-Mark-Berman

Is the largest affiliated group of stem cell clinics in America, Cell Surgical Network, now using laboratory-proliferated stem cells in patients? Do they already have some kind of final FDA approval for this clinical approach given that lab-grown stem cells are generally viewed as drugs requiring premarket approval? Over the years I’ve reached out to …

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Huge stem cell hype from Telegraph on new Stanford paper

stem-cell-transplant

There is so much stem cell hype out there that sometimes it seems like almost daily up comes a headline that is so full of hype that it could be harmful, but a new piece from The Telegraph really takes the cake. It is entitled, “Hope of cure for arthritis, MS and diabetes as Stanford …

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Nervana stem cell clinic: big ads in SacBee & big questions continue

Nervana-stem-cell-ad

The local stem cell clinic here in Sacramento, Nervana Stem Cell Centers, continues to advertise treatments in The Sacramento Bee and there continue to be big questions about this situation. I’ve blogged about Nervana before and you can see the archived posts here. Nervana must be spending big money on advertising because they have run many …

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Woman’s death after “no big deal” fat stem cell therapy: coroner investigating

Macquarie-Stem-Cells

An elderly woman in Australia reportedly died shortly after receiving a fat stem cell transplant. Sheila Drysdale passed away hours after getting an adipose stem cell treatment a few days before Christmas in 2013. That death is now being investigated by the coroner there. Not only is this death in Sydney distressing in it of …

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Bernie Sanders Mixed Record on Stem Cells

Bernie-Sanders

The Capitol Times in Wisconsin ran a story just before the primary there on Bernie Sanders on Stem Cells, indicating that has held anti-stem cell research positions. It can sometimes be hard to figure out politicians’ positions on stem cells and what actions they might take. Update: See this poll on what people predicted the …

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