On stem cell clinics, clinical trials, and the pace of progress

We recently blogged about a Houston Chronicle story revealing a troublesome Food and Drug Administration review of the Texas company Celltex Therapeutics. This is the company that treated Texas Gov. Rick Perry last year. And in previous posts we’ve written about concerns surrounding stem cell tourism – in which unregulated companies overseas promote unproven stem cell therapies. One of these companies in Korea was recently sued for fraud (you can read details of that case here).

These concerns are balanced by the very real hope on the part of patients that stem cell therapies will one day work for them and frustration over the pace of the field.

Harold DeMonaco recently wrote an interesting column in Heath News Review about regulation of stem cell therapies, the pace of progress and his advice to people who are seeking treatment. He writes:

For the moment, if a member of my family asked about seeking this treatment at a local clinic, I would advise them to either enter into a clinical trial or explore other options. I would want to make certain that the cells were handled properly, that I received my own stem cells and not someone else’s and that the effects of the treatment were being reviewed, so that a body of knowledge could be developed as to whether or not the treatment did more good than harm. Call me cautious. I think that the phrase, “Caveat Emptor,” is appropriate here.

This advice is similar to that of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, which advocates that people research any clinic advertising stem cell therapies before signing up. Their website has a list of what to look for when evaluating possible therapies.

CIRM and ISSCR co-hosted a public seminar about stem cell tourism. You can watch that symposium here.

A.A.