RNL Bio - the Korean biotech company known to Biopolitical Times readers for its dog cloningand stem cell cosmetics - is now facing allegations of other seriously dubious efforts.
The Korea Times reports that the company is suspected of arranging for thousands of patients to get stem cell treatments that are illegal in Korea in affiliated clinics in China and Japan. In effect, RNL Bio is promoting "stem cell tourism" as an end run around the fact that its product has not been approved by regulators in its home country.
Although I agree that RNL Bio should be held accountable for breaking the laws (especially when such types of treatment hasn't been approved by regulators), what surprises me is that how other countries also have a strict stance on not allowing clinical studies of stem cells. It does sound kind of fishy when the company is luring its patients in by saying that the treatment can restore their body functions back to their 20s and 30s but again, they are offering the "treatment" more for the deregulation of the stem cell research. I realize that it is dangerous when there aren't any types of regulation on the practice, but how can we regulate the practice and understand the risks if we don't allow any kind of research on the stem cells?
ReplyDeleteHmmm I wonder if the cosmetic lotions actually work? I mean in lab we have seen how conditioned media promotes cell proliferation, it seem possible that the proteins present in conditioned media could promote facial cell growth and maintenance. If they got permission for testing and eventually the lotion was commercially available I would try it. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure one day, there will be potent cosmetic lotion that will do wonders. I hope they come out with an immortality potion. But in all seriousness, I think that stem cells are really important for the advancement of ground breaking research, but the mannerism and practice by which it takes place is also just as important. We wouldn't want practices and trials getting out of hand, causing unnecessary deaths and scandals in the name of science.
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