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Stem Cell Tourist Dies From Treatment In Thailand

An anonymous reader writes "Last week, news that Costa Rica was shutting down a large stem cell clinic sparked a debate here on Slashdot about whether patients should be allowed to take the risks that come with untested treatments. Now comes news of what can happen when patients go looking for a shortcut. A patient suffering from an autoimmune disease that was destroying her kidneys went to a Bangkok clinic, where doctors injected her own adult stem cells into her kidneys. Now she's dead, and a postmortem revealed that the sites of injection had weird growths — 'tangled mixtures of blood vessels and bone marrow cells.' Researchers say the treatment almost certainly killed her."

3 of 451 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Aim for the real problem. by dr.+chuck+bunsen · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I agree. It is very frustrating that people can really, truly, be that damn stupid. And I mean that in the meanest possible way. Dumb fucks. However, I don't believe there are actually any explicit laws against using a persons stem cells for treatment. IIRC, the issue was that for research scientists needed the stem cells from aborted fetuses. And then out came the long line of dipshits to shut them down.

  2. Re:This will be interesting.... by Cheezymadman · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    What's interesting is how you extol the virtues of tai chi as a form of detox, and then go on to talk about "crazy biopirates" in the same breath.

    --
    We're all going to die. i intend to deserve it.
  3. Re:"almodlst certainly killed her"... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    You don't seem to have a very good grasp of the scientific method... "It's just a theory" applies to the Theory of Evolution because macro-evolution has never been observed scientifically, and likely will not be for a very long time.