I came across this article on bottomlineinc.com and found it very interesting and informative. In the article physician David Sherer dives into the possible negative effects of stem cell medicine and the misinformation that has lead to blindness, infection, and disease among participating patients.
Stem cell clinics are deceiving patients into believing these treatments can cure heart disease, Parkinson’s, stroke, vision problems, arthritis, autism and more, but Health Law professor Timothy Caufield claims, “What they’re really selling is false hope…they’re taking a legitimate and developing field of science and using it to prey on patients who are desperate for a cure.”
I agree with this statement completely because when you look at the facts, the FDA has approved very few stem cell therapies, when in reality there are hundreds being offered to patients every day.
My opinion, as well as the opinion of many other physicians is that the only reliable source for stem cell recovery is through the placenta or umbilical cord. The extraction of stem cells here has successfully been used to treat Leukemia and other blood disorders and to my knowledge remains one of the only dependable stem cell treatments.
As your primary care physician I wanted to inform you of this ongoing issue and urge you to do your research before allowing someone to talk you into participating in a “miracle” treatment. My advice would fall in line with Dr. Sherer’s assessment: Don’t let yourself become a victim in the name of medical trial and error.