FDA Could Delay Adult Stem Cell Breakthroughs

destinyland writes "A Colorado medical advocate says, 'The FDA contends that if one cultures stem cells at all...then it's a prescription drug,' in arguing that revolutionary new treatments could be delayed by 20 years — even using cells extracted from your own body. According to the FDA, even therapies that simply re-inject your body's adult stem cells could be prohibited without five years of clinical trials and millions of dollars of research. How useful are cultured stem cells? 'In animal models, they routinely cure diabetes.'"

Comments

Unclear Summary

[TinBromide]

Of course I refuse to RTFA, but the summary isn't clear. Right now, if I want to undergo treatment that involves adult stem cells harvested from me, to be re-injected from me, I might have to wait 5 years. However, what is not clear is whether it will take 5 years to approve the process such that in 6 years, it might take 2 weeks, or will it take 5 years in 10 years when(if) this process is well understood and old hat?