About 60% of direct-to-consumer advertising from fly-by-night stem cell clinics ceased after regulators in Canada and Australia intervened, researchers noted in the journal Cell Stem Cell.
In the U.S., the number of stem cell clinics grew from about 350 businesses in 2016 to nearly 1,500 in 2021, researchers said in background notes.Unfortunately, this procedure can sometimes cause severe infections in people if the cells become tainted during processing, with no miracle cure. For this study, researchers monitored direct-to-consumer online advertising in Canada and Australia during a five-year period.
By comparison, the U.S. stem cell marketplace has continued to expand, despite dozens of warning letters issued by the FDA, researchers noted.