Marketing of unproven stem cell–based interventions: A call to action

Douglas Sipp; Timothy Caulfield; Jane Kaye; Jan Barfoot; Clare Blackburn; Sarah Chan; Michele De Luca; Alastair Kent; Christopher McCabe; Megan Munsie; Margaret Sleeboom-Faulkner; Jeremy Sugarman; Esther van Zimmeren; Amy Zarzeczny; John E. J. Rasko

doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aag0426

PerspectiveStem Cells

Marketing of unproven stem cell–based interventions: A call to action

Douglas Sipp¹,²,³,⁴,*,
Timothy Caulfield⁵,⁶,
Jane Kaye⁷,
Jan Barfoot⁸,
Clare Blackburn⁸,
Sarah Chan⁹,
Michele De Luca¹⁰,
Alastair Kent¹¹,
Christopher McCabe¹²,
Megan Munsie¹³,¹⁴,
Margaret Sleeboom-Faulkner¹⁵,
Jeremy Sugarman¹⁶,
Esther van Zimmeren¹⁷,
Amy Zarzeczny¹⁸ and
John E. J. Rasko¹⁹,²⁰,²¹,*

¹Riken Center for Developmental Biology, 2-2-3 Minatojima Minamimachi, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.
²Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
³Global Initiatives, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
⁴Riken Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, 1-4-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0027, Japan.
⁵Health Law Institute, 461 Law Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H5, Canada.
⁶Faculty of Law and School of Public Health, 461 Law Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H5, Canada.
⁷Department of Public Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
⁸Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK.
⁹Usher Institute for Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Nine Bioquarter, 9 Little France Road, Edinburgh EH16 4UX, UK.
¹⁰Center for Regenerative Medicine “Stefano Ferrari,” Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Gottardi 100, 41125 Modena, Italy.
¹¹Genetic Alliance UK, Level 3 Barclay House, 37 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BH, UK.
¹²Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
¹³Centre for Stem Cell Systems, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, University of Melbourne, Level 2, Kenneth Myer Building, 30 Royal Parade Parkville, 3010 Victoria, Australia.
¹⁴Education, Ethics, Law and Community Awareness Unit, Stem Cells Australia, University of Melbourne, Level 2, Kenneth Myer Building, 30 Royal Parade Parkville, 3010 Victoria, Australia.
¹⁵Department of Anthropology, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9SJ, UK.
¹⁶Berman Institute of Bioethics and Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
¹⁷University of Antwerp, Faculty of Law, Research Group Government and Law, Venusstraat 23, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
¹⁸Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina, 110-2 Research Drive, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 7H1, Canada.
¹⁹Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
²⁰Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program, Centenary Institute, Sydney, Australia.
²¹Department of Cell and Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Level 2, Building 89, Missenden Road, Camperdown, New South Wales 2050, Australia.

↵*Corresponding author. Email: sipp{at}cdb.riken.jp (D.S.); j.rasko{at}centenary.org.au (J.E.J.R.)

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Science Translational Medicine 05 Jul 2017:
Vol. 9, Issue 397, eaag0426
DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aag0426

Douglas Sipp

Riken Center for Developmental Biology, 2-2-3 Minatojima Minamimachi, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.Global Initiatives, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.Riken Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, 1-4-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0027, Japan.

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For correspondence: sipp@cdb.riken.jp j.rasko@centenary.org.au

Timothy Caulfield

Faculty of Law and School of Public Health, 461 Law Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H5, Canada.Faculty of Law and School of Public Health, 461 Law Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H5, Canada.

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Jane Kaye

Department of Public Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

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Jan Barfoot

Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK.

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Clare Blackburn

Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK.

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Sarah Chan

Usher Institute for Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Nine Bioquarter, 9 Little France Road, Edinburgh EH16 4UX, UK.

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Michele De Luca

Center for Regenerative Medicine “Stefano Ferrari,” Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Gottardi 100, 41125 Modena, Italy.

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Alastair Kent

Genetic Alliance UK, Level 3 Barclay House, 37 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BH, UK.

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Christopher McCabe

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

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Megan Munsie

Centre for Stem Cell Systems, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, University of Melbourne, Level 2, Kenneth Myer Building, 30 Royal Parade Parkville, 3010 Victoria, Australia.Education, Ethics, Law and Community Awareness Unit, Stem Cells Australia, University of Melbourne, Level 2, Kenneth Myer Building, 30 Royal Parade Parkville, 3010 Victoria, Australia.

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Margaret Sleeboom-Faulkner

Department of Anthropology, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9SJ, UK.

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Jeremy Sugarman

Berman Institute of Bioethics and Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.

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Esther van Zimmeren

University of Antwerp, Faculty of Law, Research Group Government and Law, Venusstraat 23, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.

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Amy Zarzeczny

Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina, 110-2 Research Drive, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 7H1, Canada.

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John E. J. Rasko

Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program, Centenary Institute, Sydney, Australia.Department of Cell and Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Level 2, Building 89, Missenden Road, Camperdown, New South Wales 2050, Australia.

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For correspondence: sipp@cdb.riken.jp j.rasko@centenary.org.au

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Abstract

Commercial promotion of unsupported therapeutic uses of stem cells is a global problem that has proven resistant to regulatory efforts. Here, we suggest a coordinated approach at the national and international levels focused on engagement, harmonization, and enforcement to reduce the risks associated with direct-to-consumer marketing of unproven stem cell treatments.

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Commercial promotion of unsupported therapeutic uses of stem cells is a global problem that should be addressed by coordinated approaches at the national and international levels.

Marketing of unproven stem cell–based interventions: A call to action

Abstract

Science Translational Medicine

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