RANDY HUTCHINSON| Better Business Bureau

The FDA says that stem cell products may offer the potential to treat many medical conditions and diseases for which few alternative treatments exist, but almost all of them have yet to be proven to be effective or safe. That hasnt stopped unscrupulous medical professionals and other promoters from touting them as miracle cures.

Stem cells are sometimes called the bodys master cells because they develop into blood, brain, bones and the bodys other organs. Stem cells that come from bone marrow or blood are routinely used to treat cancer and other disorders of the blood and immune system. But other uses, including treating COVID-19, have not been properly studied under an FDA Investigational New Drug Application, which includes providing sufficient data from human clinical testing to help evaluate a products potential risks.

The FDA cites these potential safety concerns for unproven treatments:

There are safety risks even with your own stem cells and contamination can occur if cells are manipulated after removal.

The FTC and Georgia Attorney General sued the co-founders of the Stem Cell Institute of America for allegedly targeting seniors with bogus claims that its therapy could treat arthritis, joint pain and other orthopedic ailments. The agencies said the company also claimed its stem cell therapy is comparable or superior to surgery, steroid injections and painkillers. A related company trained chiropractors and other healthcare practitioners in making similar claims. They also hosted free educational seminars for consumers at which they promoted injections that cost approximately $5,000 per joint, with many patients receiving multiple injections.

This wasnt the FTCs first enforcement action against deceptive stem cell therapy claims. In 2018, a California physician and his companies settled with the FTC over claims their amniotic stem cell therapy could treat Parkinsons disease, autism, macular degeneration, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, heart attacks and a host of other serious ailments. The defendants earned at least $3.3 million offering injections that cost up to $15,000.

The only stem cell products approved by the FDA for use in the United States consist of blood-forming stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. Theyre approved for limited use in patients with disorders that affect the production of blood.

In bringing the most recent action, the Acting Director of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection said, At best, the use of unproven products or therapies can cost consumers thousands of dollars without affording them any results. At worst, it can be harmful to their health.

If youre considering a stem cell treatment, the FDA says to make sure its FDA-approved or being studied under an Investigational New Drug Application. The FTC and BBB offer these additional tips:

Randy Hutchinson is the president of the Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South. Reach the BBB at 800-222-8754.

See the original post:
Beware of unproven stem cell therapies - The Jackson Sun

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