It wasn’t that long ago that I blogged about how some wacky folks were boycotting Pepsi because allegedly stem cells were involved in the production of Pepsi and its testing of sugars. You’ve heard of Diet Coke? Coke Zero & Pepsi Free? Maybe there has to be a Stem Free Pepsi? Really? Now the Washington […]
Stem cell myths: from Pepsi to Obama & snowflake babies Read More »
Are stem cells a drug? Should the FDA regulate them? Technically, the FDA calls stem cells “biologics”, but the FDA regulates stem cell products with the goal of ensuring safety and efficacy much the same as traditionally define chemical “drugs”. You can learn more about the FDA’s view of and concerns about stem cells here and here.
Are stem cells drugs? Read More »
We have another Vatican stem cell meeting coming up this spring. This meeting raises some extremely important questions and complex issues at the interface of science, religion, philosophy and ethics. From the perspective of scientists, an important issue is whether (assuming one is invited) to attend such a meeting and if one does attend, is
Vatican Stem Cell Meeting 2.0: from stem cells to prison cells to hell? Read More »
I confess: I have stem cells on the brain. Yeah, I probably have a few stem cells left in this old brain of mine, but that’s not what I mean….rather, I mean that I am really curious and excited about how stem cells do their jobs in our brains. More specifically, I wonder about things such
Stem cells on the brain Read More »
If someone is not in a war, but someone else declares war on them or actually attacks them, I would say the reality is that war has started and there are two opposing sides. However, has that happened when it comes to stem cells? Are we in a stem cell war? There have been times
The war propaganda myth of adult versus embryonic stem cells hurts everyone Read More »
Here is a patient guide to stem cells with the key factual things you need to know. For better or worse, I am in the unique position of being a stem cell scientist and also a patient since I had cancer 2 years ago. Looking on the bright side this gives me a unique perspective
Factual patient guide to stem cell treatments Read More »
If you care about contraception, you need to understand stem cells. And if you care about stem cells you should know more about birth control. Why? There is a big media to-do about federal guidelines related to health care organizations providing birth control. President Obama has gotten into the fray and in fact just today
What do stem cells have to do with contraception? Read More »
What are stem cell cosmetics? The use of stem cells for cosmetics and cosmetic procedures is exploding even while many important questions remain. How legitimate are these stem cell cosmetic products and procedures? Are they safe and effective? What kinds of medical conditions are they being used to treat? I also recently did a post
From boobs to baldness: stem cell cosmetics Read More »
Do we still need iPS cells if transdifferentiation is so cool? Wait, how did we get to the point that people are asking me that extreme question? When iPS cells were first introduced to the world by Shinya Yamanaka, who I think will win the Nobel Prize sometime in the next few years, some folks went
Transdifferentiation does not make iPS cells obsolete Read More »
Lately I have been critical of an ultra-conservative political think tank-like foundation called the Witherspoon Institute. They have recently joined the federal lawsuit as friends of the plaintiffs suing to stop federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. The Witherspoon Council has just published a 100+ page report on stem cells in the very conservative, somewhat obscure
A critique of the Witherspoon Institute stem cell report Read More »