Avoid the stem cell scams

A Drop in the Bucket

The proliferation of unproven cellular therapies is a $2 billion business, according to a recent paper in Cytotherapy, co-authored by an impressive international team of stem cell experts who were at a symposium for the International Society for Cellular Therapies in 2018.

According to the International Society for Stem Cell Research, the only scientifically verified use of “stem cell treatments are blood stem cells to treat diseases of the blood, such as leukemia, and for tissue grafts to treat diseases or injury to the bone, skin and surface of the eye. Important clinical trials involving stem cells are underway for many other conditions, and researchers continue to explore new avenues using stem cells in medicine.” How Did We Get Here? According to Pro Publica, around 15 years ago the Food and Drug Administration decided that human tissue didn’t need FDA approval as a drug. However, if the cells were modified in a lab or given a new purpose, such as using cells from the placenta to ease arthritic joints, they would be considered a drug and would have to undergo FDA review. The catch: Manufacturers got to decide if their products were drugs or not. Saying “not” saved them millions of dollars, and went largely unchallenged by the FDA.

Finally, in 2017 guidelines were established that may tighten up the oversight on tissue such as amniotic stem cells, but they don’t go into effect (if they do) until 2020. The Risks

Stem cell treatments are enormously expensive, and outof-pocket costs can hit tens of thousands of dollars with little benefit. They flop in part because all stem cells are not created equal and are not equally effective in stimulating creation of new tissue. Shady clinics offer everything from autologous fat stem cells from your thigh to ones obtained from amniotic fluid and the placenta.

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.