ISSCR Launches Web Site Providing Information on Stem Cell Treatments

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) has announced the launch of a new website, www.closerlookatstemcells.org, which aims to provide patients, families and carers with an independent assessment of the various companies purporting to offer stem cell treatments.

There are currently only a small number of stem cell treatments that have been shown to be effective in rigorous studies and are confined to diseases of the blood as well as skin grafts and corneal repair.

SSCN welcomes the ISSCR initiative to provide patients with additional, critical information so that they can make the best decision for their on-going care and treatment.

Our advice to patients before contemplating such treatments is to ensure that;
· Preclinical and clinical studies have been published, reviewed and repeated, by other experts in the field, that show the treatment is both safe and effective,
· The providers have approval from an independent committee such as an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Review Board (ERB) to make sure the risks are as low as possible, are worth any potential benefits and that your rights are being protected.
· The providers have approval from a national or regional regulatory agency, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA), for the safe conduct of clinical trials or medical use of the product for this disease.

The new website should enable patients to ascertain the status of any offered therapy against these criteria.

This advice applies to treatments and clinical trials offered in countries other than the UK. In the UK all such treatments, procedures and clinical trials are regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and will meet the guidelines listed above.

SSCN believe the best way to make stem cell therapies a reality is to conduct properly controlled clinical trials and would encourage people to enrol as such trials open for recruitment.

SSCN's website, contains further information on this subject, including the Patient’s Handbook on Stem Cell Therapies (click here).

For further information please contact;
Kevin Price
Chief Executive Officer
The Scottish Stem Cell Network
Roslin BioCentre
Rolsin
Midlothian EH25 9PP
Scotland
Email: kevin.price@sscn.co.uk
Tel: 0131 440 6798