Stem cells grown in culture are drugs. Agree or disagree? I believe it is a correct statement. I don’t think it is even a question any more as it was a few months ago. Yes, I am convinced that the FDA, as supported by a recent federal court ruling, has it right that growing stem […]
2 decades as cell biologist tell me grown stem cells are drugs Read More »
There was a burst of feeling last night in the stem cell community as word began circulating that a federal court had ruled in favor of the FDA defining manipulated stem cell products as drugs. However, not everyone was pleased with the court ruling. The clinics most directly affected by the ruling were understandably upset,
Refuting potential downsides to stem cell drug court ruling Read More »
Are stem cells drugs? At least for today, a federal court unambiguously ruled that the answer to this question for manipulated stem cells is “Yes”. The story has been reported in the media at New Scientist and Scope Blog. You can read over the key issues here. The court ruled in favor of the federal government and FDA and against
Court empowers FDA to regulate stem cells as drugs Read More »
Sellers of dubious stem cell treatments are playing their own versions of “stem cell shell” and definitely it is not to benefit patients. Remember that game where the slick guy on the street corner (at least in the movies) has three shells and one pea and he shuffles them around….then you are supposed to point
Stem cell shell game puts patients at risk Read More »
Rick Santorum. Expert on science and research funding? For the most part people would say “heck, no!” However, in fact, Santorum had a strong track record as a senator in supporting NIH funding. That’s a fact. But now Santorum has gone off the deep end. The former GOP Senator and Presidential primary hopeful is not exactly
“I lied to patients,” testified a weeping, young woman in court related to a fraud allegation involving stem cells. She had worked as an office assistant at a company that injected bogus and potentially dangerous cow-based “stem cell” treatments into human patients. This company, which in different incarnations went by various names including Biomark in
Testimony in supermodel stem cell fraud case: “I lied to patients” Read More »
I like Texas. It is one of my favorite states. Over the last few years I’ve made many friends down in Texas. I also had the pleasure of having a meeting with your Governor, Rick Perry, about future stem cell policy. I’m hoping to meet with him again. I’m planning to visit your great state
Building stem cell bridges to the great state of Texas Read More »
In December 2011 I wrote a piece about a possible “perfect storm” of events that could crush stem cell research. Was I being too pessimistic? Now that we are into July 2012 making this fall very much closer on the horizon, how’s the forecast now? That perfect storm if anything seems more likely now. I
The perfect storm that may kill stem cell research this fall: moving closer Read More »
I love paradoxes. The great artist M.C. Escher was famous for his paradoxical drawings such as the one above. Paradoxes make people think in a whole new way about something they thought they understood. The stem cell field is full of paradoxes. Below I list my favorite ones. Some of these resonate with stem cell
Intriguing stem cell paradoxes: from Pepsi to Pluripotency Read More »
Celltex is a clinic down in Texas most famous for isolating and growing up the stem cells that were given as a transplant to Texas Governor and one time GOP candidate for president, Rick Perry. The FDA audited Celltex in April for two weeks. Based on the audit of Celltex, the FDA issued a 483 form
Celltex future may hinge on a single word: drug Read More »