Swiss Stem Cell Company Under Investigation

A Swiss company with an apparently miraculous stem cell treatment is under investigation by the Irish government for performing a procedure there that's not approved in that country, according to this Times Online story. But one patient claims it worked for him, so shouldn't the company be allowed to move forward with the technique? Well, no, because the company has published no scientific studies to show that the treatment is safe or effective.

"Even its basis, whereby stem-cell material is injected under the skin and is then supposed to travel to the brain and repair damage caused by MS more or less overnight, makes little sense (according to Brian Sweeney, a consultant neurologist at Cork University hospital and a member of the Irish Institute of Clinical Neuroscience). There is no evidence that it is effective or safe."

He said that if the claims being made about the procedure were true, Advanced Cell Therapeutics would have won "numerous medical awards."

Even the name of the company is suspect. It's awfully similar to Advanced Cell Technology, a legitimate company in California.

Advanced Cell Therapeutics' web site includes a "scientific library" listing numerous articles that are apparently meant to look impressive, but have nothing to do with the company. Its page on its "medical advisors" is "under revision." It also lists about 200 case studies that give no actual information about the cases.

The small print at the end of this page is easy to miss but important:

The primary purpose of the following case studies is to assess the benefits of cord blood stem cell therapy in individuals in compromised states of health.

But, in case you were silly enough to think otherwise, based on the abundant claims all over the web site saying their stem cell treatment just might cure you, it also says:

Cord Blood Stem Cell Therapy does not serve as a substitute for a participant's current medical care and treatment, nor do the cord blood stem cell therapies provided in the case studies intend to serve as prevention, treatment or cure for any disease, ailment, or condition.

So what's this 18,000 Euro ($22,220) treatment for again?