Regenocyte presented an enticing alternative. Its glossy brochures and the effusive patient testimonials on its Web site offered hope that stem-cell therapy could not only keep her condition from getting worse but return her to her old self. If regenerative stem cells could help others, Velline reasoned, why couldn't they help her too? As far as she was concerned, waiting years for the government to put its official seal of approval on the procedure wasn't an option. She was dying.
Stem-Cell Tourism
Stem-Cell Tourism: Adventures at the Fringes of Experimental Medicine
Tags: mad science, the future
Current Music: How to Destroy Angels -- The Believers ♬
5 Responses:
My friend's girlfriend's father - I know it sounds stupid, shut up, that is the relationship - had a clinic in Puerto Rico that just got shut down. Apparently all of his clients are appalled, as his work really helped them out quite a bit.
But of course I get all of that from the aforementioned friend, so it's not really objective news.
I just finished rereading Schismatrix Plus. And now this :-)
Awesome. "We see these great results! But we didn't have a control group. And there was no blinding." Ugh. I mean, adult stem cells just aren't as plastic as embryonic stem cells. There's no reason to assume that a bone marrow stem cell can make heart or lung. :-/
Put me with the guy who thinks these poor patients are being taken advantage of.
The guy who deliberately infected himself with hookworms to cure his allergies, then made a business out of selling them to others, has had to flee to the tropics. I felt rather bad for him. At least, unlike these stem cell guys, he's got some skin in the game.
(And honestly, if a stem cell implantation in a 3rd world country could cure my vertigo? I'd look into it.)
there are actually a couple of really respected doctors in Boston running hookworm trials right now