Key points from article :
17 people hospitalised in US last year after umbilical cord blood injections.
Three of the 12 patients were hospitalised for a month or more.
Most cases linked to a single company: Liveyon of Yorba Linda, California.
It sells tiny vials of a solution it says is derived from umbilical cord blood.
Such products are not approved by federal regulators or supported by clinical research.
CDC report revealed a specific risk: bacterial infection.
Bacterial contamination probably “occurred before distribution” of vials to doctors.
An FDA inspection of Genetech’s facility found numerous sterility and safety lapses.
The only FDA-approved stem cell treatment is for blood disorders like leukemia.
Academic experts have identified at least 716 US stem cell clinics.
The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
