The unproven stem cell clinic firm US Stem Cell Inc. is in a world of hurt. If a federal judge says you can no longer sell your key commercial offering, how do you survive as a company? US Stem probably has been thinking about that possibility for months. Still, it’s not yet clear where the […]
Can clinic biz US Stem reboot after losing suit? Its email to customers & more Read More »
A Russian Scientist named Denis Rebrikov told Nature and then other media including NPR last week that he plans to make CRISPR babies. In other words, babies with heritable genetic modifications. I don’t doubt that Rebrikov (pictured in ResearchGate image) might want to do this nor that he might try it, but rather I’m writing
Calling Out Denis Rebrikov CRISPR Babies Plan Read More »
When we mix celebrities like William Shatner who played Captain Kirk on the original Star Trek series with stem cells, things usually end badly. For this reason when I read that Shatner had gotten a supposed stem cell treatment, I saw it as bad news. Like the arrival of a Borg ship. Just one problem
About that Captain Kirk ‘stem cell treatment’ Read More »
Today the FDA put an Arizona firm called R3 Stem Cell, LLC and its leader Dr. David Greene on notice that what they and 50+ affiliates centers are selling in the way of stem cells were not approved by the agency. R3 Stem Cell markets perinatal (birth-related) stem cell offerings on its website. There’s a
FDA cautions R3 Stem Cell & 50+ stem cell clinic affiliates Read More »
The four words “California stem cell research” go nicely together and I hope they will continue to resonate in a special way to people around the world in the coming decade. We are at a crossroads for stem cell research in California as the original form of the California Stem Cell Agency (CIRM) winds down.
The future of California stem cell research & CIRM Read More »
Trying to make a CRISPR baby any time soon would be a really bad idea. How bad? Last December 3rd I penned a piece for STAT News arguing for a moratorium on the heritable use of CRISPR in humans. This potential future, radical application of “gene editing” is now often colloquially referred to as “CRISPR
CRISPR baby moratorium grows likely with rising tide of support including from biotech Read More »
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 »
Stem cells for baldness? Where does that stand? Can hair loss be reversed using stem cells? I get asked these kinds of questions regularly here on The Niche that all converge on the issue of whether there might be a stem cell treatment for baldness soon. For that reason every couple of years I do
Stem cells for baldness: any progress in 2019? Read More »
Over the last couple of years the marketing of unproven clinic injections of non-FDA-approved stem cells seems in open-throttle mode. What used to just be on the web here and there is now on billboards, newspapers, flyers, infomercials, and on TV. It’s possible that millions of dollars are being spent yearly on advertising this stuff,
Stem $ell$: clinic marketeers dangle big bucks to docs Read More »
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 »