| 1 | NBC News | Warning Over Controversial Stem Cell Clinics And Unapproved Treatments... | 117307 | 581 | 197 | 57.0 | negative | 3:32 | We're back now with the controversy over stem cell clinics. Earlier this week, the president's new pick to head the FDA was grilled by lawmakers about government regulation of rogue clinics. NBC Medical correspondent Dr. John Torres is here with more. So why the concern? So Kate, it's the Wild West of Medicine. Stem cell clinics targeting vulnerable patients with misleading ads that claim to treat everything from joint pain to diseases that have no cure. There are now over a thousand of these stem cell clinics across the US, some using unregulated stem cell treatments that may be illegal and in some cases even harmful. They said that there was no chance of anything going wrong because it was coming from my own body. 79 year old Doris Tyler tried stem cells after reading a promotional book by the founders of cell surgical network. They claim stem cells could treat macular degeneration, an eye condition with no cure. Cell surgical network referred Doris to an affiliate clinic in Georgia, where doctors took stem cells from fat and her stomach and injected them into her eyes. Three months later, she was blind. An ophthalmologist who examined Doris after the treatment says her vision loss is more likely than not the result of the stem cell procedures. No, that total darkness was all I was only ever going to say again. Doris is now suing the Georgia clinic and cell surgical network. The Georgia clinic declined a comment and in a statement to NBC News, cell surgical network says cell surgical network is a teaching research company and owns no clinics. We cannot discuss any details since it is being litigated. Our research group was involved in 12 macular degeneration cases over a four-year period and 10 reported improvement in their vision. Dr. John, are these treatments approved by the FDA? Kate, most of them are not. In fact, these centers are popping up so fast the FDA is having a hard time monitoring them all. We visited one stem cell clinic, which is using unregulated treatments. Okay, you may feel a little needle. So this is the bone marrow you took from the patient? Yes. And after processing, these are the stem cells you can put back into the patient in the area that they need treatment. Exactly. Dr. Benjamin Bieber charges between four and eight thousand dollars per treatment for rotator cuff tears, hair restoration, even erectile dysfunction. The FDA says that stem cell therapies are only approved for blood and immune disorders, but today you treated somebody for hip condition. I'm not involved with the politics. I just want to make my patients better. And I know over the last seven to eight years using stem cell therapy has made a big difference in people's lives. But the FDA warns more research is needed. Dr. Peter Marx evaluates stem cell treatments for the FDA. Orthopedic conditions to kidney disorders, to neurologic, you know, brain problems. There's not evidence that we have that they're safe and effective yet. So if the FDA is saying there's no evidence that they're safe and effective, what are they doing about it? Okay, the FDA told NBC News they plan to crack down on unapproved clinics next year. But with the new FDA commissioner taking over, we'll have to wait and see. | ↗ |