Websites make false claims on stem cells
Wed, September 24 2008
Alarmed by a rise in “stem-cell tourism” driven by websites and the Internet, a task force of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) with its headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois, has issued a set of guidelines.
While researchers worldwide are investigating stem-cell therapies for many diseases, the only proven therapies are transplants of bone marrow stem cells to reconstitute the blood, to treat blood disorders such as leukemia and immune deficiencies.
“All other medical procedures involving stem cells are only experimental” and should not be promoted as cures, the ISSCR says.
But a team led by Timothy Caulfield at the University of Alberta’s Health Law Institute surveyed 32 websites offering treatments for conditions ranging from Parkinson’s disease, stroke and paralysis to spinal cord injuries, cancer and anti-ageing treatments.
The survey found that only one site described its procedure as experimental and 26 sites advertised it as being “routine”.
The websites, many of which advertise clinics in China, India, Mexico and the Ukraine, actually rely on patient testimonials, rather than peer-reviewed clinical studies, as proof that their therapies are safe and effective, the survey found.
For instance, the website of an institute in Chennai advertises stem-cell treatment for diabetic ulcer, ischemic heart disease, spinal cord injury and cirrhosis of liver alongside glorious tributes from patients and flattering newspaper reports.
The draft guidelines, to be finalized next month, “aim to define the scientific, clinical, regulatory, ethical and societal issues that must be addressed” before using stem cells in clinical practice, says Olle Lindvall, neurologist at the University of Lund in Sweden and chairman of the task force.
The ISSCR says it is concerned about the potential physical, psychological, and financial harm to patients who pursue unproven stem cell-based therapies, and the general lack of scientific transparency and professional accountability of many of the clinics involved.
The ISSCR’s 30-member 13-nation task force that drafted the guidelines use strong language to indicate the seriousness of stem-cell tourism.
“The ISSCR condemns the administration of stem cells or their direct derivatives to patients outside of a clinical trial, particularly when patients are charged for advertised medical services that constitute clinically un-established interventions that have not been approved through independent review.”
The ISSCR has asked scientists, clinicians and health care institutions not to participate in such activities as a matter of professional ethics.
“Regulators in countries where such illegitimate therapies are offered have a responsibility to prevent exploitation of vulnerable patients by investigating the claims made by clinics and, if necessary, forcing fraudulent clinics to close,” the task force said.
While the guidelines are not legally binding, the ISSCR hopes they will serve as framework for laws that protect patients from being swindled or harmed.
By K.S. Jayaraman
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