South Dakota Woman Claims she received ESC Transplant in Mexico

Wednesday, February 3. 2010

South Dakota Woman Claims she received ESC Transplant in Mexico

This story is either super sloppy journalism or outright deception. KSFY in South Dakota reports that a South Dakota woman, Paula Barber received an embryonic stem cell transplant for her multiple sclerosis (M.S.) in Tijuana, Mexico:

The controversial issue of embryonic stem cell treatment in South Dakota hits the senate floor Wednesday.

That's when the full senate is expected to vote on a bill aimed at legalizing stem cell treatments in South Dakota.

The main part of this debate is between adult stem cell treatment versus embryonic stem cell treatment.

Opponents of this bill say embryonic stem cell treatment is "not" proven to work.

But tonight we hear from an Onida, South Dakota woman who says embryonic stem cell treatment saved her life.

South Dakota native Paula Barber just turned fifty years old, a celebration she says does not think she would be having without embryonic stem cell treatment.

"M.S. is pretty much a death sentence and it has totally given me my live back."

She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclorosis back in 2001.

After trying several other treatments she says she heard about embryonic stem cell treatment being done in Mexico.

So she traveled to Tijuana to start getting treatments.

Of course this report comes just as South Dakota lawmakers to considering making embryonic stem cell research legal in South Dakota.

I find this woman's claim highly doubtful. The FDA has yet to approve any trial using embryonic stem cells in the United States. It is possible that some crazy man in Tijuana is injecting unsuspecting patients with embryonic stem cells. More likely, Pamela was treated with adult stem cells and is either confused or lying.

But because of sloppy or deceptive journalism no one can fact check this assertion that she was treated with embryonic and not adult stem cells. The name of the doctor or the clinic that treated her is not in the report. Convenient. I did some research and found several clinics in Tijuana that are offering stem cell treatments. Not one is using embryonic stem cells. Stem Cell Biotherapy is using cord blood stem cells. The Regenerative Medicine Institute is using a patients own bone marrow stem cells to treat M.S. Same with ProgenCell.

On a greater level is the journalistic irresponsibility of KSFY by not checking to see if stem cell treatments in Tijuana are considered safe. A quick look would reveal complaints of Americans about their treatments in Tijuana. From the Washington Post:

Barbara Hanson and Jeannine Richardson discovered the risks after a trip to a stem cell clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, last year.

The women, who met in an online support forum for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, learned of a company called Stem Cell Biotherapy, which has offices in Agoura Hills, Calif., and advertised online. Hanson says one of the company's doctors, Burton Feinerman, told her he had taken 10 COPD patients to Tijuana and all had improved enough to discard their portable oxygen tanks.

But a week after traveling to Tijuana at Feinerman's direction and getting injections, both women spiked fevers and developed flulike symptoms. Richardson was hospitalized for eight days after returning home to New Hampshire.

"It was like the worst pneumonia I'd ever had," said Hanson, who lives near Denver. "It was so bad I honestly thought I was going to die." Hanson believes the injections made her and Richardson sick...

Stem Cell Biotherapy has brought a lawsuit against Casey Navabi, their founder and former President, mentioned in the above Post article, for fraud, embezzlement and impersonating a doctor among other things.

Hat Tip: Jivin J

Posted by Rebecca Taylor in Stem cells, Embryonic at 12:50 | Comments (6) | Trackbacks (0)

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#1 John on 2010-02-03 14:22 (Reply)

I had treatment at Stem Cell Biotherapy in 2007. I also posted comments immediately following the Washington Post article. Dr. Burton Feinerman successfully sued Casey Nabavi, his former partner at SCB. Dr. Feinerman is a respectable stem cell doctor. The Washington Post did a very poor job of investigative reporting and I was very displeased at their misquoting of what I told them concerning Dr. Feinerman. Stem cell therapy offers great hope to those with terminal and chronic disease. I am co-founder of www.stemcellpioneers.com which was started as a result of the first treatment Jeannine and I had. We now advocate for safe stem cell therapy.

#1.1 Barbara Hanson on 2010-05-11 20:46 (Reply)

Burton Feinerman is a jerk, he kills people with his what he says stemcell treatment, dont go to him, he is a total jerk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#1.2 M.Hellen on 2012-03-01 03:15 (Reply)

Burton Feinerman is a very bad doctor, the only thing he is after is MONEY, watch out for him!!!!!!!!!

#1.3 M.Hellen on 2012-03-01 03:16 (Reply)

I KNOW this woman and I am absolutely astounded that she would make this assertion. Equally disturbing is that KSFY would run the story without verifying ANY of the information. I called and left voicemail for the reporter, but...umm...she never called me back. Huh. This is going to be an uphill battle all the way. There is a lot more to this, most of it having to do with billionaire T. Denny Sanford and his "gift" of 400 million bucks to a local health system and the creation of a "research facility" where - I am sure - they want to experiment on tiny humans. The only "problem" is that SD has some of the tightest laws in the nation on ESCR and on fetal experimentation. Watch for more pawns being used to promote a load of BS concerning ESCR and other forms of baby-abusing "research." When in doubt, follow the money, I always say.

#2 Amy on 2010-02-06 16:31 (Reply)

For years newspapers have done feel good stories about people who travel abroad for stem cell treatment, like it is legit! It is a scam, there is never follow-up. The so called journalists seldom look into the charlatans that cell false hope for 25,000- 30,000.

Every article like the one in the KSFY is free advertisement for these con men.

Google "you tube stem cell miracles" and watch the BBC's special on Stem Cell Tourism.

#3 Nastia on 2011-02-10 14:05 (Reply)

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