Three women with macular degeneration became permanently blind after undergoing an unproven stem-cell treatment touted as a clinical trial at a South Florida clinic. The episode, described Wednesday in an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, represents one of the most egregious examples of patient injury involving a stem-cell clinic. He also said it was possible that the stem cells could have changed into cells that are associated with scarring. The stem cells, for example, cannot be more than “minimally manipulated” and must be intended for the original function. That would not typically include using stem cells from fat to repair eye cells.

Source: Washington Post March 15, 2017 21:01 UTC