The FDA seems oddly slow in oversight of unproven stem cell clinic-related firms like one here in California called Invitrx Therapeutics. I’ve written before about Invitrx, but interactions between them and the FDA have continued including a new warning letter. It’s become a puzzling situation. More broadly, the FDA has done relatively little in the past […]
3rd Invitrx warning highlights FDA oversight weakness Read More »
I tend to perhaps over-focus on human CRISPR or gene editing, but other applications including in agriculture are definitely going to be huge. CRISPR in agriculture One that I’ve been following for a long time is the use of CRISPR to prevent cows from growing horns. Why is that a big deal? Just in the
Weekly reads: CRISPR chicks, HSCs, sequencing Mendel Read More »
Many celebs seem to be into cosmetics called Augustinus Bader cream products that claim to do something related to stem cells. The brand is wildly expensive. What’s this all about? Augustinus Bader is both a person and a line of cosmetic products. The goal of today’s post is to fact-check the claims and products of the Augustinus
Wrinkles in pitch of celeb fav Augustinus Bader cream Read More »
I started The Screamers a few years back as a biomedical science hype award. It’s kind of in the spirit of an Ig Noble Prize in the sense of an alternative “award”, but in this case for hype. In 2020, sadly the FDA Commissioner at the time Stephen Hahn won The Screamers award for a
2022 The Screamers Science Hype Award goes to The BBC Read More »
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
Grading my 2022 regenerative medicine predictions Read More »
Out of the blue this past week we lost Kevin McCormack of CIRM to a heart attack. When I first heard, my reaction was that can’t be, but it is. About Kevin McCormack If you aren’t familiar with him, Kevin was officially Director of Patient Advocacy at our state’s Stem Cell Agency. However, he was
Weekly reads: Kevin McCormack passes, HSCs & RXR, Ethics Read More »
There have been rare instances like with scientist James Wilson where researchers were involved in what I would call major misconduct but somehow managed to bounce back. In a sense, they were given second chances in part by regulators but also by other scientists or supporters. However, after extraordinary misconduct, especially contributing to the death
2nd chances after big misconduct? He Jiankui, James Wilson, others Read More »
Something called a P shot has sparked interest from some men interested in high-risk attempts at enhancement. The goal of today’s review post is to fact-check P shots. They’re sold for supposed penis enhancement or to address erectile dysfunction (ED). I’ll also fact-check so-called O shot stabs at vaginal rejuvenation or enhancement. These are both
Reviews of P shot & O shot stabs at sexual enhancement Read More »
We’ll start with a story related to possible research misconduct, Stanford’s President Marc Tessier-Lavigne, and Science Magazine. In some ways the news on Science itself could be the bigger long-term story. Marc Tessier-Lavigne pub investigation, Science oops moment Here’s some of the coverage: Stanford investigates potential misconduct in president’s research, Science. Multiple publications of Marc Tessier-Lavigne
Weekly reads: Marc Tessier-Lavigne probe, Neuralink on the brain, Ras unchained Read More »
Hematopoietic stem cells have many clinical applications and a company called Gamida Cell has an interesting product in this area called Omidubicel that may have several applications. I’m going to start the weekly reads with news there. Gamida Cell and the FDA A recent piece discussed how Omidubicel is progressing with the FDA. FDA extends
Weekly reads: Gamida Cell, Siddhartha Mukherjee, CRISPR in viruses Read More »