Key points from article :
A significant number of unregulated clinics worldwide are selling expensive and potentially dangerous stem cell therapies, with a high concentration in the US, Mexico, India, and China.
Stem cell tourism, where people travel to access these treatments, is increasing despite warnings from scientists, the media, and regulators.
Several patients in the US have experienced severe harms such as loss of sight, infections, tumors, and life-threatening conditions after receiving unproven stem cell therapies.
Stem cells have the unique ability to transform into different types of cells and contribute to the self-healing of cells and organs, making them potentially beneficial for medical research and treatments.
Few stem cell treatments have been approved by regulators such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and these only for a limited range of conditions.
Clinics offering stem cell therapies not authorised by regulators are providing treatments that are unproven and could be harmful.
Unethical clinics in the EU and the UK exploit a regulatory loophole that does not classify unmodified stem cells as advanced therapy medicinal products, leading to lack of quality control and safety guarantees.
These unregulated clinics often use deceptive tactics to market their treatments, leading to patients potentially delaying or ignoring approved treatments, which can worsen their conditions.
