I had this as a part of another post, but it is too important to bury in a bunch of other topics.

I am not fan of the embryonic stem cell snake oil promises peddled by its backers. I have a BS in Biology and understand the deliberate misrepresentations constantly made about the potential of embryonic stem cells. My posts on the subject are here. The South Korean hoax illustrates exactly why I find the overstatements and rosey scenarios peddled by the emrbyonic cruel for those facing serious medical conditions. Unfortunately, the hunt for the magic bullet became lax and posed risks to people, even undergoing adult stem cell therapies

The South Korean government says it is investigating whether abuses took place during clinical trials for stem cell treatments, which critics say exposed desperate patients to unacceptable risks.

The government has been forced to rethink its hands-off approach to cutting-edge stem cell medicine following the fiasco over the cloning pioneer, Hwang Woo-suk, who was found to have fabricated research for his claimed breakthrough on cloned stem cells.

South Korean scientists had also claimed a lead in the parallel field of adult and umbilical cord stem cells; and the government gave the go-ahead for laxly regulated clinical trials, which some scientists say should never have been allowed.

“Stem cell science is still at a very early stage; this was really a blind trial,” says Professor Lee Sang-ho of the Biotechnology School at Korea University.

“The cells are like rugby balls: you don’t know which way they will bounce. They could become cancerous or dormant, we simply don’t know at this stage”.

I have been saying this for years: the research today can be a hit or miss crap shoot. They throw the cells into some substrate and then into the damaged area and see what happens. Lazy research. At least someone is coming to their senses and has stopped dreaming about a nirvana miracle cure and faced the all too real risks. But for some patients it is too late:

Hwang Mi-sun, a 39-year-old paraplegic, was one of the first to receive an infusion of umbilical cord stem cells into her spine.

At first, she reported dramatic improvements in her mobility; but after a second operation, she relapsed and now complains of severe pain.

South Korean press reports say other patients have complained of complications, while some did report minor improvements.

Professor Lee said none of the results had been submitted for peer review, and painstaking research on animal models should have been conducted before rushing to clinical trials.

He was astonished to learn that some patients have been paying for what were supposed to be emergency trials.

This is another thing I have been saying about all stem cell research. If you can prove it in primates then it will work on humans. Animal trials are always used to demonstrate a technique is viable and safe. But the dream of a medical Holy Grail caused people to bypass the normal process. This is what happens when emotion on the part of the patients, and greed on the part of the researchers, is allowed to take over from common sense and established protocol.

Sadly, given the potential risks and benefits, this is one area where following the process is critical. Messing with genetics is a very dangerous business. Genetic defects are severe, disfiguring, painful and dangerous. Four things you don’t want to heap onto someone struggling with a medical condition.

And this is about making money combined with a massive Jesus Christ complex. People want to be popular and rich. And what better way than to heal the sick. And it all sounds so reasonable:

The company president Dr Han Hoon says he hopes to provide commercial treatments within three years, but worries that the government is now tightening up its regulations.

“I know many think this treatment is premature; and we are continuing our research. But many patients can’t wait for treatment – and I question whether controls need to be so strict in those cases.

Why indeed? There is limited proof of success, but the need of the patients demands they pay this guy for what? He has nothing tangible:

A private stem cell bank, Histostem, has been a pioneer of stem cell treatment in South Korea. It says it has treated 250 patients and claims limited success in some cases.

Snake Oil.