570 Health Businesses in US Sell Unapproved Stem Cell Therapy; FDA Issues Warnings to Clinics
ByResearchers found that there are 570 clinics in the states that offer unapproved stem cell therapy to patients. Although these medical clinics are scattered across the country, the stem cell therapy tends to be concentrated in California, Arizona, New York, Colorado, Texas and Florida.
Stem cell therapy for orthopedic conditions
The medical clinics that market stem cell treatment offer the procedure to arthritis patients or those who experience ligament injuries. The treatments given are apparently at the experimental stage - which means, they are not science-backed therapies.
Leigh Turner, a professor from University of Minnesota's Center for Bioethics, said that people think 'everything here is regulated' because they have to go to India, China or Mexico to obtain the unapproved treatments easily.
Scientists have been studying stem cell therapy to repair tissue damages but haven't found significant result
The stem cell therapies have been studied and reported in many ways that the public start to believe the promising result of stem cell therapies. Researchers use stem cell therapy in search of many things from cancer treatments to HIV cures. Apparently many clinics use it as marketing tactics to promote the so called 'stem cell tourism'.
Dr. Peter Rubin, a scientist at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center claims that 'any new treatments based on stem cells are years away'. There is still no evidence that proves stem cell therapy can heal chronic conditions which these businesses claim, StatNews reported.
FDA warns clinics that use stem cell therapy in New York, California and Florida
In 2015, FDA warned the medical clinics in New York, California and Florida after finding that the businesses used illegal stem cell therapy to treat ALS, Parkinson's and autism. With limited scientific support, these clinics could potentially harm their patients, SF Gate reported.
FDA requires clinics to have licenses that prove the stem cell therapies they use, are safe and effective. However, this kind of license would cost a fortune and take years of trial and error for the business to obtain certification.