On Thursday, the CDC confirmed that twelve patients from Florida, Texas and Arizona had all contracted bacterial infections after getting injections of stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. All 12 were hospitalized, three of them for a month or longer. The average age of the patients was 74.
Thankfully, no one died.
At this time, investigators don’t believe the contamination happened at the clinics where the shots were given because the bacteria was also found in unopened vials provided by the distributor, Liveyon (who voluntarily recalled the stem cells in October, begging the question, How were they still available if they had been recalled?).
“Stem cells are very young cells than can develop into specialized cells, like blood cells, bone cells and brain cells. The cells are being studied as a potential way to treat many diseases and are currently approved for a handful of medical procedures. In recent years, hundreds of private clinics have opened promoting their use for diseases in which there is little evidence that they are safe or effective.
Stem cells can be harvested from adults, but another source is umbilical cord blood, which can be collected at the time of birth, stored and later used as a treatment for the child or family members who develop conditions like blood or immune disorders. Officials say stems cells from cord blood also are being sold to doctors to treat patients for conditions like pain in their joints, shoulders or back.”1
In November, the FDA sent a warning to Genetech Inc., the small company that processed the stem cells, instructing them not to market the stem cells “without regulators’ approval”2and that its deviation from manufacturing requirements “could have led to bacterial contamination.”3 This warning is no surprise given the fact that last year the FDA warned they would be cracking down on doctors and businesses who were promoting stem cell injections for diseases like arthritis or Alzheimer’s.
Five different germs were found in the patients, including one type of E. coli– not something you want swimming around in your body.
I have personally had platelet rich plasma (from my own blood) treatments, had 1.7 billion stem cells harvested from my own body and reinjected to help some injuries that I had because I didn’t want to undergo surgery, and had umbilical cord blood (which the experts tell me have no living stem cells). And out of the three of them, the umbilical cord blood treatment made me sick. So sick I felt like I was going to die. I wouldn’t even want my worst enemy do it and will never recommend amniotic fluid or umbilical cord blood for anyone I know.
Especially when it is in the form of the product, which in this case was tainted. If it was cord blood from your own baby? Perhaps, but that’s a different story. These products are harming people and they could end up dead. Never again. I wish I could go back in time and never have done that. It only made my injury worse and again I could’ve lost my life.
SOURCE:
