Warning!  Stem Cell Scams!

If you’ve been reading about the progress made in stem cell treatments for human diseases, you know that we are in the early stages.  Many conditions (over 50) are currently being treated, but many others have not yet been sufficiently investigated to have even progressed to the point of human experimentation.

One of those diseases is Alzheimer’s.  Indeed, researchers commonly consider that Alzheimer’s is one of the diseases that will probably NOT be successfully treated with stem cells because of the nature of the condition itself.

 However, Rochester Area Right to Life has noticed ads on the internet claiming to treat Alzheimer’s with fetal stem cells.  The same ad also says the fetal stem cells will treat autism, cerebral palsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression, among many others.  Other ads claim success for fetal tissue treatments.

 The “clinics” associated with such ads are in the US, but it is significant that for the treatment, you must travel to other countries, in one case specifically the Dominican Republic.  Search for research credentials of the responsible parties turned up nothing.  There was, however, a case of regulatory action taken against one director.

It reinforces the dictum of “let the buyer beware.”  Anyone contemplating stem cell treatment needs to do a small mountain of homework before making a financial commitment.  There are sharks out there.

Updated on RARTL October 2004