THE internet may be awash with bogus or untested stem cell-based treatments targeted at unwary patients, but that is no reason to condemn all 鈥渦nofficial鈥� therapies. So say researchers who last year drafted a set of international guidelines designed to crack down on 鈥渟tem cell tourism鈥�.
The team insist their new plea for more tolerance of unsanctioned trials and treatments is no U-turn (Science, ).
They argue that companies making scientifically justifiable attempts to treat patients should not be condemned, provided a new treatment has a clear clinical rationale, along with evidence that it should not cause serious side effects.
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鈥淐ompanies making justifiable attempts to treat patients should not be condemned鈥�
鈥淲hat patients care about is getting better and surviving, and demonising stem cell tourism will never squelch this vital instinct,鈥� says Olle Lindvall of Lund University Hospital, Sweden.
