Search Results for: gottlieb

Congress pushes FDA on stem cell clinic mess in new letter

Congress-letter-to-FDA-stem-cell-clinics-2019

It can be kind of a big deal when politicians, especially at the federal level, write the FDA about stem cells. Is this going to be good news or bad? Some combination? I tend to worry that some senators or representatives might pressure the FDA to weaken oversight. However, lately it seems like the opposite …

Congress pushes FDA on stem cell clinic mess in new letter Read More »

Permanent injunction on clinic firm US Stem Cell is big blow to fat clinics

US-Stem-Cell-Clinic-2

Today the United States District Court of the Southern District of Florida entered a permanent injunction against stem cell clinic firm US Stem Cell and co-defendants including U.S. Stem Cell Clinic. Patients have been harmed by the unproven treatments sold by these firms. US Stem had lost the case a couple weeks back, but now …

Permanent injunction on clinic firm US Stem Cell is big blow to fat clinics Read More »

FTC returns half a mill to consumers of “deceptively marketed amniotic stem cell therapy”

Bryn-Jarald-Henderson-D.O.-

There’s a lot of questionable “stem cell” injections these days involving purported amniotic stem cell or other perinatal (birth-related) material. Regulators are taking note including the FTC, which took some unprecedented action last year on this front. Now the FTC has announced that more than half a million $USD have been returned to consumers who …

FTC returns half a mill to consumers of “deceptively marketed amniotic stem cell therapy” Read More »

Perspectives: FDA warns umbilical firm & continues stream of “mini-warning” letters

umbilical-cord-blood, umbilical cord blood stem cells

Yesterday we learned that the FDA issued a warning letter to the cord stem cell firm, Cord for Life. In this warning, the FDA indicated that the firm’s product is actually a drug product and lacks necessary pre-market approvals. In addition, the agency highlighted apparent deviations from CGMP practices. The most important part of the …

Perspectives: FDA warns umbilical firm & continues stream of “mini-warning” letters Read More »

Clinic biz US Stem (USRM) may be kaput in matter of weeks or months

Joint-motion-for-summary-judgement-1

In a surprising development, the United States government (FDA and DOJ) and the stem cell clinic firm, US Stem Cell (USRM), Inc., that it has sued seeking a permanent injunction, have agreed on something! According to new court records on Pacer (see screenshot), they have both given up on mediation in the federal lawsuit. Further, …

Clinic biz US Stem (USRM) may be kaput in matter of weeks or months Read More »

50 stem cell influencers on Twitter to follow in 2019

stem cells on Twitter, top-stem-cell-influencers-Twitter

Who are the top stem cell and regenerative medicine influencers to follow on Twitter and elsewhere in 2019? Terrapin asked this kind of broad question to some within our community about 5 years ago and came up with a Top 50 list of stem cell influencers, which I like to joke I was “at the top …

50 stem cell influencers on Twitter to follow in 2019 Read More »

Stem cell clinic doc being sued by FDA now gets agency warning for unapproved breast device

Elliot-Lander-and-Mark-berman-300x2331

When the FDA has a major problem with something, it can issue a warning letter or more rarely it can file suit in court for an injunction against the particular party. The FDA has now done both of these things on different fronts with Beverly Hills stem cell clinic doctor and cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Mark Berman. …

Stem cell clinic doc being sued by FDA now gets agency warning for unapproved breast device Read More »

Sales of ‘zombie’, birth-related ‘stem cells’ continue to mushroom

zombie-stem

The birth-related stem cell clinic industry is a serious problem for patients, the stem cell field, and the FDA as the clinics sell more and more of what I think of as “zombie” injections. One of the biggest changes in the last 2 years in the unproven stem cell clinic arena was predicted by the …

Sales of ‘zombie’, birth-related ‘stem cells’ continue to mushroom Read More »

When the state & ‘rogue’ scientists collide: case of China & CRISPR baby guy He Jiankui (贺建奎)

He-Jiankui-贺建奎

What happens next to He Jiankui (贺建奎) or as some people now refer to him, the “CRISPR baby guy”? China has a challenging situation to resolve here, but such conflicts between scientists and governments have happened regularly in history. When scientists go “rogue” (i.e. don’t conform to norms or ethical standards in an extreme way or …

When the state & ‘rogue’ scientists collide: case of China & CRISPR baby guy He Jiankui (贺建奎) Read More »

Several new investigations expose ‘snake oil’ stem cell clinics

snake-oil-stem-cell-clinics

We need more investigations of for-profit stem cell clinics selling what some view as ‘snake oil.’ Over the years I’ve mainly resisted using terms like “snake oil,” but that phrase is being used more often and more recently I think we need to be blunt about what is being sold. Part of effectively countering the …

Several new investigations expose ‘snake oil’ stem cell clinics Read More »