Stem cells: Beware of fakes!

Scientists will talk online about fraud with stem cellsABC Magazine based on Cell Stem Cell materials:

Patients Beware: Commercialized Stem Cell Treatments on the Web.

Leading stem cell researchers from around the world plan to educate patients on the topic of stem cell fraud. Irving Weissman (Irving Weissman, picture from the website dkfz.de ) – head of the Stanford Institute of Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and ex-president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) – led this movement.

"People fall into the hands of robbers. They mortgage their homes and borrow money to go abroad for so-called treatment," he explains. Weissman warns desperate patients against commercial stem cell therapies actively promoted through Internet sites. He reports on more than 200 companies, many of which offer to grow stem cells, transplant them to a patient and thus cure almost any disease: "They will take the last money from you, but by asking them a few simple questions, you will understand whether they plan to treat you or your wallet."

Quotes from famous scientists and doctors are often published on such sites, and the experts themselves are not even aware that their words are used in a completely different context than they were uttered.

In order to combat world-class deception, a group of scientists led by Weissman created the website A Closer Look at Stem Cell Treatments, where patients can read about the basics of stem cell cytobiology, find out what questions should be asked in stem cell clinics to assess their adequacy, etc.

It is also planned to create a separate website dedicated to stem cell research.

ISSCR plans to inspect companies and clinics with the participation of the medical ethics committee, which will protect the rights of the patient, as well as check whether the proposed therapy has passed the control of the American FDA or the European Medical Agency (European Medicines Agency).

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru06.07.2010