Stem Cell Treatment - Who do you believe?

So, how can you tell who to believe or where to go? If you need your cancer treated do you ask your next-door neighbor and expect sound advice? Would you ask your doctor who to use if your car breaks down? It's a difficult situation and one in which you need to do your own research.

I recently spent some time looking at a few stem cell companies and was surprised at the statements being made on their websites. Is there a shadow world of stem cell research under the auspices of the FDA and credible scientists? Does this exist in countries like China, the Seychelles, Panama, Ecuador, Korea, Mexico and india.

Who are these guys?? China seems to be leading the fray. This is the kind of statement these companies make on the web (pardon the grammar): "For MS, we can provide the unique stem cells treatment" and "Patient will have obvious improvement in 5 weeks" or even "Unique treatment for ALS" This blatantly misleading information comes from a company, in an Asian country, with incredible credentials, as stated on their website, and their top priority being business development. No kidding!

Another one in Asia, I think they are all one government sponsored hospital, says: the safest operation for ALS with improvement during 5 weeks" Is there an operation for ALS?

A company in Europe using bone-marrow derived cells says that they have: "Innovative stem cell treatment for ALS". This does, however, exist in a country where it is legal to inject a human with rabbit or sheep stem cells to improve their neurodegenerative disease!

People are flocking to these countries for treatment for the most untreatable conditions and are paying enormous amounts of money, which could be better spent on other treatment modalities at home, which might not cure their disease, but are proven to make a difference and not deplete their retirement savings.

After their treatment they blog about it, stating how wonderful they feel and how fantastic the doctors are, but these blogs seem to stop after three months and are managed by the treating company. I have spoken to a parent of a patient treated for optic nerve hypoplasia – sounds untreatable doesn't it (and it is), but not to stem cell treatment companies in Asia. Her son worsened post treatment and developed unequal limb growth, but her initial positive blog remains. Even a legal threat couldn't budge the post, but they did offer a refund, but no remarkable cure for the continued unfettered growth of the stem cells still circulating in the child's bone marrow…. Suspicious?

It is widely accepted that degenerative diseases, like MS, continue to degenerate no matter how many stem cells are injected. It might make a difference to the response if they are injected into the affected organ, but the disease process will continue and the response will wane with time.

The next company I looked at said they knew more than anyone else and they were the best, in their opinion: "XXXX company is a proven stem cell therapist, pioneering in stem cell technology, therapy and human stem cell research." Who the hell is a proven stem cell therapist and what is a stem cell therapist? This company goes on to say: "The XXXX stem cell / placenta technology is in our view superior to any technology used presently by any stem cell clinic else where." How do they know? No one has ever found out and there are no clinical trials on placenta implants. This company, like many others seems to be a front for recruitment of patients to China. The owner of this company is a business man interested in receiving venture capital from gullible investors high on the buzz of stem cell research.

There are even websites posted by "experts" with no real medical expertise in stem cell biology or medical science who advocate that only they can tell you which companies are for real and who should treat you. They even list those companies for a fee, of course. They propose that, if a company is not listed with them, they are no good. Sound like extortion?

It's a difficult situation. Who are you going to believe? Me, I think not, especially if I tell you that your disease will not respond to stem cell treatment. How dare I? I run a stem cell treatment company; don't I want to take your money? The answer is no, not if it keeps me awake at night.

I suggest starting by finding out about how your disease works and if there are any clinical papers on responses to stem cells. There are a few points which are not negotiable and I have published these under stem cell guidelines on the Regenecell website.

I give no false hopes, no promises, just safe stem cells and anecdotal evidence in humans and lab evidence in animals. I make sure that you know what you're getting your self into. If you don't agree, go to China.