Jun 01, 2020 12:30:00

Researchers warn that the number of companies providing 'unfounded stem cell therapy' is increasing in response to the new coronavirus epidemic

The spread of new coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) continues worldwide, and on May 30, 2020, the number of new infections per day in the world exceeded 134,000, setting a new

record high. I am. Meanwhile, researchers point out that in each country, some companies have launched 'unauthorized stem cell therapy without scientific basis' in response to people's fear and desire to regain daily life.

Preying on Public Fears and Anxieties in a Pandemic: Businesses Selling Unproven and Unlicensed “Stem Cell Treatments” for COVID-19-ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1934590920302010

There's Been a Dangerous Rise in People Selling Stem Cell'Treatments' For Coronavirus
https://www.sciencealert.com/scam-stem-cell-therapies-for-covid-19-are-all-over-don-t-buy-into-the-nonsense

Stem cells are cells that have the ability to divide to make the same cells as themselves, and to differentiate into other types of cells, and play an important role in the development of organisms and the maintenance of tissues and organs. Stem cell therapy is a treatment method using this stem cell, and

bone marrow transplantation is widely used, and in recent years, the possibility of stem cell therapy has been studied in a wide range of fields such as neurodegeneration, cerebrospinal injury, and visual impairment. It has been done.

It is a stem cell therapy with many potentials, but with the pandemic of COVID-19, it seems that the number of companies claiming unlicensed stem cell therapy with poor scientific grounds is increasing all over the world. The International Stem Cell Research Association and the International Association for Cell and Gene Therapy pointed out that there are still no stem cell-based approaches that have been found to be effective in preventing or treating COVID-19, accusing the stance of these companies as irresponsible. I am.

In addition, Canadian , American , Australian, and European stem cell groups have warned of companies independently promoting the stem cell therapy in the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Clinics claiming that expensive stem cell products protect people from COVID-19 and provide miraculous recovery for patients should be watched carefully,' Stem Cells Australia said. Legal clinical trials are underway to evaluate various interventions such as, etc. It is too early to know if they work and if they are safe. Experimental interventions approved under expert medical care It should only be done in clinical trials conducted. '

Leigh Turner , a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota, points out that unfounded stem cell therapy is dangerous to public health. 'I'm worried about individuals buying COVID-19's frivolous'cure ',' said Turner, who said he had received unlicensed treatment and was injured. Those who think that it will not take '-19' risk abandoning social distance and becoming infected with COVID-19.

Turner argues that in a COVID-19 pandemic, people should receive scientifically evidence-based treatments and preventative measures, rather than unlicensed suspicious products that claim to cure COVID-19. However, companies that sell stem cell therapies are trying to fool people by taking a strategy to mislead them as if the effects of the stem cell therapy on COVID-19 have been confirmed.

A company in Colorado claims that exosomes of mesenchymal stem cells boost the patient's immune system and provide additional protection against the virus, and advertises that it will be treated for $ 3,000 (about 320,000 yen). I am. It seems that there are similar companies in Arizona, Alabama, Florida, California, etc., but there are various claims by companies regarding stem cell therapy, and some companies claim to be a preventive measure for COVID-19, others COVID-19 There are also companies that claim to repair the damage to the organization. Turner also points out that in some cases, COVID-19 may provide a biobank to store stem cells in case of a crisis.

Whether stem cell therapy is effective in preventing or treating COVID-19 remains unclear, and rigorous clinical trials have not yet proven its effectiveness. There is a possibility that stem cell therapy will be effective against COVID-19 in the future, but at the time of writing the article, there are no results worthy of commercialization.

Turner has urged the

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory agencies to crack down on unlicensed stem cell therapy products sold against COVID-19. “Such companies make misleading claims, exposing patients to potentially dangerous products and creating false hope. As a result, some individuals have taken steps such as physical distance or isolation. May be disregarded, ”Turner warned.