I just published a paper in Stem Cells Translational Medicine on my experience traveling to and attending a stem cell clinic patient recruitment seminar. It was an intense experience and one where I felt at risk. To some extent it is akin to going into the lion’s den. I didn’t know what reaction I would […]
The stem cell hard sell: my new paper in Stem Cells Translational Medicine Read More »
The local stem cell clinic here in Sacramento, Nervana Stem Cell Centers, continues to advertise treatments in The Sacramento Bee and there continue to be big questions about this situation. I’ve blogged about Nervana before and you can see the archived posts here. Nervana must be spending big money on advertising because they have run many
Nervana stem cell clinic: big ads in SacBee & big questions continue Read More »
That much-anticipated public FDA stem cell meeting that was postponed from April will now take place in September and will have a much larger array of diverse speakers. Many more voices at an FDA stem cell meeting are collectively a good thing, but delay is not. The large and growing U.S. stem cell clinic industry makes
September FDA stem cell meeting looks to be big debate Read More »
You can listen to my co-author Leigh Turner’s interview on Science Friday here about our Cell Stem Cell paper on the stem cell clinic industry in the U.S. Start listening around the 8:30 mark. It’s great that this paper has so strongly raised awareness about the booming stem cell clinic industry in America as well
Listen to Leigh Turner’s interview on Science Friday on our stem cell clinic paper Read More »
Each December I make stem cell predictions for the coming year and I did that for 2016 where I made 20 predictions. At around mid year I do a checkup on how my predictions are doing halfway and that is the purpose of this post. Below are my predictions that I made in 2015 for stem
Stem cell checkup: how are my 2016 predictions doing half way? Read More »
My colleague Leigh Turner and I today published a new paper in Cell Stem Cell documenting for the first time the American stem cell clinic arena in a comprehensive way, which we found as of February has a remarkable 570 clinic locations via 351 businesses. These numbers are way beyond the predictions of most researchers
New paper with Leigh Turner shows huge American stem cell clinic industry: 570 locations Read More »
For better or worse, I am in the unique position of being a stem cell scientist and also a former cancer patient. Looking on the bright side this gives me a unique perspective on things compared to many of my colleagues. I know there are thousands of people out there looking for more practical information
Patients guide to stem cell treatments for 2021 Read More »
A brief report in the NEJM today highlights the risks facing patients who get stem cell treatment from dubious clinics as one such patient recently developed a large spinal tumor. Dr. Aaron L. Berkowitz and colleagues describe how this patient who received a mixture of several stem cell types from an overseas clinic was later diagnosed
Patient gets cancer growing on spine from dubious stem cells Read More »
An elderly woman in Australia reportedly died shortly after receiving a fat stem cell transplant. Sheila Drysdale passed away hours after getting an adipose stem cell treatment a few days before Christmas in 2013. That death is now being investigated by the coroner there. Not only is this death in Sydney distressing in it of
Woman’s death after “no big deal” fat stem cell therapy: coroner investigating Read More »
Stem cell studies continue to make big news with a mixed bag of trends including for stem cell biotech, and some good stem cell news and others not so much. Mesoblast ($MESO) had its stock suspended for quite so time recently in anticipation of a big announcement. When that news came today it was discouraging in
Stem cell biotech bites: Mesoblast, BioTime, MS, FDA Warning, & More Read More »