By Jeanne Loring “Mutation” and “cancer” are eye-catching words for a headline; add “stem cells” and there is a good chance that a lot of people will hear about it. These words have been liberally used in the press to describe the results of a recent publication: “Human pluripotent stem cells recurrently acquire and expand […]
Mutations in pluripotent stem cells: No, the sky is not falling Read More »
Can science now cure MS in some patients with stem cells or is that near on the horizon? What about stem cells for other serious autoimmune disorders? What are the risks to patients in terms of health, money, and hope? What if patients must find $100,000 or $200,000 just to get into a clinical trial for
Burt Northwestern Stem Cell MS Trial Part 2: Marketing ‘Cure’-Like Outcomes? Read More »
Dr. Richard Burt of Northwestern University has been doing cutting edge research on the use of stem cells for autoimmune disorders for more than a decade. The core idea behind the work that Burt and other research teams are doing is that stem cells may have revolutionary potential to somehow counteract the autoimmunity that causes
Burt Northwestern Stem Cell MS Trial Part 1: Big Promise & Tough Questions Read More »
Can California stem cell clinics make questionable marketing claims about their experimental, non-FDA approved offerings as long as they are not demonstrably false? Do such clinics not bear any legal requirement to provide informed consent to patients? A new court ruling raises such striking questions. San Diego stem cell clinic Stemgenex sells non-FDA approved experimental stem
Narrowed Stemgenex suit proceeds as court implies stem cell clinic loopholes Read More »
Stem cell clinic biotech Stemedica has just been sued by one of its own board members based on allegations related to money the company raised, according to CourtHouseNews. The actual suit, filed by an investment company Tiara Holdings and board member Anthony Marlon, can be read here. CourtHouseNews writes: “Tiara Holdings II LLC sued Stemedica Cell
Stemedica sued by board member over alleged mishandling of funds Read More »
Are stem cell clinics going to somehow get the FDA to approve their stem cell interventions? To get recognized as legit? It seems they are trying now more than ever. Remember the REGROW Act that would have greatly reduced regulations on investigational stem cells and then how the 21st Century Cures Act passed with some
This morning my local paper The Sacramento Bee ran a full-page, super splashy ad for the local stem cell clinic, Nervana. Remarkably the ad says, “As Seen in The Sacramento Bee”, referring to an article by reporter Claudia Buck that ran in the past in the SacBee Insight section that raised many concerns and questions about Nervana. I may have
Splashy SacBee Ad for Stem Cell Clinic Nervana Raises More Questions Read More »
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
On Duke stem cells for autism trial, did new CNN article hit the mark? Read More »
Two physicians are central to something called the SCOTS trial, Dr. Jeffrey Weiss and Steven Levy. Patients have claimed negative outcomes after participating in the trial. What’s going on here? SCOTS trial The recent NEJM paper reporting on the blinding of three patients in Florida may be just the beginning. More information has come out on negative
Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, SCOTS trial, & Patient Claims of Blindness Read More »
The world of stem cell clinics is on edge right now with a number of negative patient outcomes reported and lawsuits in play such as San Diego stem cell clinic Stemgenex being a defendant in a proposed class action lawsuit focusing in part on alleged problematic marketing claims on their website (see archived posts on the lawsuit).
LA Times Reports Stemgenex Doc Gets 3-Year Probation from State Medical Board Read More »