I don’t think that’s a main problem with stem cell therapies. Even embryonic stem cells, which certainly don’t lack differentiation capability, don’t do much when injected into the body, except for having paracrine effects.
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Its not the cells, but the localized environment.
Can I ask how you’re doing with this as it’s been awhile? I am scheduled for a knee replacement in July ‘24. I have pretty much exhausted all non invasive procedures but not tried this. I’m miserable, and everyday I spend over an hour red light, pemf, melt method and it helps, each of these modalities provide degrees of relief but on top of bone on bone, I have a bakers cyst that flares when I work out. That’s very painful and interrupts my exercise. Damn…I got a cane……
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Have you tried shockwave therapy?
Sure. It’s been about six months since I had the injection. And it’s been a mostly positive experience. My knee is a lot better than it was previously. I would have constant and burning pain in the joint. That’s not the case anymore. Subjectively, I’d say I’m probably about 85 percent better than I was. However, it’s not fully better, but the amount of pain has gone down considerably. I’ll still have days when it feels off. I couldn’t cycle before without it burning for days afterwards, but that has settled down. I can’t advise you one way or the other. I don’t know what your diagnosis is. As far as I know the cartilage in my knee is fine.
It’s possible that my optimism and the amount I paid, which was quite a lot has just added to a placebo effect. I fully intend to go back and get an infusion at some point, but that’s just me.
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Well at least adult stem cells are still showing some promise…
I saw this a while back. I’m still pretty bullish on stem cells. I’m just not sure what’s needed to do to get it into the mainstream
RFK Jr. convened roundtable around ways to reduce stem cell regulation
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his staff last Wednesday hosted a regenerative medicine roundtable primarily to discuss how to lower regulatory barriers for stem cell treatments, three people familiar with the meeting confirmed to Endpoints News.
The hourlong afternoon meeting included about a dozen outside participants, who were a mix of advocacy group and stem cell company representatives, as well as academic researchers. It also included FDA Acting Commissioner Sara Brenner; Darcie Johnston, HHS’ director of intergovernmental affairs; and Hannah Anderson, HHS’ deputy chief of staff, policy, according to the sources, who spoke to Endpoints on condition of anonymity.
Representatives for the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons attended the meeting, as did stem cell researchers Anthony Atala of Wake Forest and Joanne Kurtzberg of Duke, the sources confirmed. It also included Donna Chang, the CEO of Hope Biosciences, a Texas-based stem cell bank, who later did a podcast episode on the meeting.
One participant at last week’s session, Chadwick Prodromos, appears to be the owner of a stem cell clinic, which has locations in the US as well as in Antigua and Greece. Prodromos’ practice appears to offer treatments for 26 conditions, listed alphabetically from anti-aging to ulcerative colitis. The FDA has not approved stem cell treatments for any of these conditions.
“Its website talks about anti-aging and treating autism, memory loss, paralysis, CP, and more. I am skeptical that the stem cells offered at clinics can safely and effectively do those things. As is now the case for many firms, this one has a presence both in the U.S. and in the Caribbean,” stem cell researcher Paul Knoepfler of UC Davis wrote about the Prodromos clinic in a blog post last year.
Read the full story: RFK Jr. convened roundtable around ways to reduce stem cell regulation (Endpoints)
Related:
Podcast on meeting:
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Will Stem Cell Clinics Flourish Under RFK Jr.?
— Experts caution that deregulating these products may lead to patient harm
After HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hosted a roundtable on reducing regulations on stem cells earlier this month, experts have raised concerns about a potential flourishing of questionable stem cell clinics that could harm patients.
Kennedy has made no secret of his support for stem cells, including them in his infamous post on X about FDA’s “war on public health” coming to an end. Stem cells were among “suppressed” therapies including psychedelics, peptides, raw milk, hyperbaric therapies, chelating compounds, and more.
While FDA has traditionally focused on stamping out questionable stem cell clinics through court cases and warning letters, the roundtable set a different tone toward these products, experts said.
Endpoints News reported that the roundtable was convened last-minute, and HHS still hasn’t shared any information publicly about what was discussed during the meeting.
While attendees included respected groups in medicine, such as the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, one key figure was left out: Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
Marks has been influential in trying to improve the regulation of questionable stem cell treatments and clinics, according to Leigh Turner, PhD, executive director of the bioethics program at the University of California Irvine, who has long studied stem cell clinics.
At the same time, the guest list included Chadwick Prodromos, MD, a physician who runs businesses that sell consumers unproven stem cell treatments, Turner noted.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/114763
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Some good news on stem cells treatments:
Paralysed man stands again after receiving ‘reprogrammed’ stem cells
Another man also regained some movement, but two others experienced minimal improvement.
A paralysed man can stand on his own after receiving an injection of neural stem cells to treat his spinal cord injury. The Japanese man was one of four individuals in a first-of-its-kind trial that used reprogrammed stem cells to treat people who are fully paralysed.
Another man can now move his arms and legs following the treatment, but the two others did not show substantial improvements. The trial was run by Hideyuki Okano, a stem-cell scientist at Keio University in Tokyo, and his colleagues.
The results, which were announced at a press conference on 21 March and have not yet been peer reviewed, suggest that the treatment is safe, say researchers.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00863-0?linkId=13622861
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