CNN asked Dr. Lucie Bruijn, the senior vice president for research and development for the ALS Association, whether stem cells offer meaningful treatment for ALS."No, it's definitely not true," she said. "Certainly you hope that the answer from an ALS clinician who is knowledgeable ... [will be], 'There are things that are promising but we don't have anything to offer you now.' "
That statement is at odds with promises posted on a relatively new Web site run by an 80-year-old Florida doctor named Burton Feinerman, who says he's been conducting stem cell therapy for three years. His site, Stem Cell Regen Med, at stemcellregenmed.com, says it can offer treatment for a long list of life-threatening diseases, including ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, cancer, brain damage and lung illnesses.
Let's hope that the CNN expose protects those caught in the gap. A mysterious, uncurable, terminal disease like ALS sets a pretty low "first-do-no-harm" bar for an 80-year-old, self-proclaimed cosmetic dermatologist who does not seem to be board certified in any specialty.
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