Foreign Clinics Lure Americans With Unproven Treatments
Stem cells are on offer, but do they work?
On a slick Web page, a hale, gray-haired man held a little girl's hand in a lush green field. "Adult Stem Cell Therapy. New Hope. New Life," the page beckoned, encouraging heart patients to plunk down $35,000 to travel to Bangkok, Thailand—for an unproven treatment.
Tammy Henderson, 37, of Garden City, Mich., heeded the call. In March, she became the latest of nearly 300 mostly American heart failure patients to have the procedure offered by Thera-Vitae, the company behind the website. It's too early to tell if stem cells taken from Henderson's blood and injected into her heart are repairing that severely weakened organ, but, she says, "I'm praying for a miracle."
The stem cell treatments offered by overseas clinics like TheraVitae aren't available in the United States, except in small clinical trials. Other treatments considered experimental here, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound for prostate cancer and new drugs for in vitro fertilization, can also be found abroad. But even if a treatment is approved somewhere else, that's no guarantee it's worth seeking out.
TheraVitae's medical director, Thein Htut, claims that 75 to 80 percent of patients improve significantly. "We are their last resort," he says, noting that Thai officials are aware of his activities. However, the company has not published its data, drawing harsh criticism. "It's just not ethical, in my opinion," says Warren Sherman, a cardiologist at Columbia University Medical Center. He's one of dozens of researchers testing adult stem cells in heart patients, and such trials have yet to show conclusive benefits, he says. An analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in February concluded that the evidence to date indicates few risks but only a "modest benefit." Other stem cell treatments offered abroad for various illnesses are entirely untested in humans.
Henderson's medical history made her ineligible for a trial. So when she discovered TheraVitae, she sought advice from her cardiologist, who happened to have some experience with the company. Barbara Czerska of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit told Henderson she had nothing to lose. "We don't know the long-term outcomes for these patients," Czerska says. "But if patients have the money, I tell them, 'Why not?' They don't have many options left." Henderson borrowed $13,000 and raised the rest through spaghetti dinners, bottle drives, and poker nights.
The International Society for Stem Cell Research is drawing up guidelines to help patients sort promising therapies from quackery. For now, the group's vice president, Irving Weissman, suggests that patients work with their stateside physicians to demand three types of information: evidence that the regulatory agency in the clinic's home country has stamped the treatment as safe and effective; medical journal articles describing the therapy and its effectiveness in human trials; and certificates of approval from the clinic's institutional review board, which is supposed to provide ethical guidance. If any is lacking, steer clear, he says. "Your assumption must be that they are part of a fraudulent enterprise until they prove otherwise."
Reader Comments
Dear Mr Margolis
I appreciate your humility and will not even put my url on the site so that you won't be infuriated. By the way, where do you go for medical care (you know where I get mine) and is anyone ever denied access there. I do hope the rates are reasonable as i need good quality affordable care here in the US. Perhaps you will be so kind as to help pay my bills. All I am trying to do is enable folks to get health care. I am sorry is this offends you.
I am curious why you did not offer to aid the 90 year old man in Thailand as you were so concerned. Finally, I do not toss the word "pimp" out and call you names, so you must understand why I responded.
Simply (no url)
Robert Cooper
Robert Cooper
I am sure that you are a fine person with only the best of intentions.
It just seemed obvious to me that you were jumping on an opportunity to get a little free advertising for your web site - which you got - so perhaps we can end this discussion ...?? If I were the moderator of this site, I would have removed your post or at least edited out the URL which adds nothing to the discussion.
As far as nationalized health care in Thailand goes - Give me a break - it is HORRIBLE!! Perhaps you should send some of your clients to a few up-country Thai government hospitals and see what they think? However, this is far off-topic so I will go no further. Feel free to get your last URL plug in by responding because it will be the last opportunity I give you to do it.
Response to Mr Margolis on Medical tourist companies.
Without a doubt you are right that private hospitals are out of the realm of many in Thailand. All medical treatment is out of reach for more than 100 million Americans. If you include the aged and poor who receive Medicaid and Medicare and other government aid (nationalized health) these numbers would be even higher. All hospitals and clinics in the US are "elitist" in your definition. Your name calling does not help the discussion. I am losing my shirt trying to help a segment of a population to get health care. That I can not help everyone in the world should not denigrate attempting to help some. I have a Thai business partner who is a good human being and not an evil money grubbing soul as you imply. I am a house painter and have worked in the trades for over 35 years. I am in this business to help folks and hopefully to make a little bit to live on (right now I am going broke trying to get the word out). Excuse me for attempting to support myself by bringing health and well being to others. I am curious what you think of insurance companies here in the US and Thailand. I believe they exclude many.
Oh, and by the way, nationalized health care is available in Thailand for all. You must know this but instead use the shameful argument that one Thai (and as in any other country there are more) has received what you consider bad treatment. All our clients received bad to shameful treatment in the US for rather prohibitive prices, that is why they went to Thailand. Some, such as myself, couldn't afford the treatment needed to save my life. If you think we are all rich cats living off the poor Thai you are seriously wrong. If the medical system in Thailand brings in money and clients it will encourage more to become doctors, nurses and medical workers. I don't think that is such a bad idea. It is an industry that offers to improve the Thai economy and life style. I would rather do that than encourage more folks to make more clothing in sweat shops. Most important is the health and well being of those that I can help. I can not save the whole world, but what little I can do I will do. Oh,I do volunteer at Father Joe's Mercy Centre (www.mercycentre.org) in Bangkok. Just so you know I am not that bad a person.
Robert Cooper
www.patientvacation.com
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