Crackdown Attempts on Medical Fads

Selling false hope to people suffering from significant medical issues is nothing new. “Snake oil salesmen” traveled the Old West, peddling miracle cures that were often little more than alcohol mixed with whatever random substances the salesman had. These “cures” never actually cured anything, but they made the huckster enough money to get by.

Fake cures are still everywhere, and it can be difficult for sick people to recognize whether or not something is actually likely to help or harm. Many people are forced to rely on experts, and the acknowledged experts in the medical field are the doctors. A patient should be able to trust their physician not to recommend anything likely to do more harm than good. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

The newest dangerous medical fad being pushed by some disreputable medical professionals is stem cell therapy. Stem cells are extracted from some part of the body (currently in some cases using liposuction to provide fatty tissue, from where stem cells are harvested), and then injected into a different part of the body.

In many cases, this does no harm or good, but for some patients, there have been significant side effects. At least three people are blind due to detached retinas after shady doctors injected stem cells into their eyes. Damage to the eye is often noticed more quickly than damage to other parts of the body, so it is entirely possible that people who have had stem cells injected into other organs might see major long-term damage to their bodies.

The FDA is looking to crack down on these stem cell clinics, but there are still many other medical procedures that put patients at risk. If you or someone you love has been the victim of medical malpractice, consult with an experienced lawyer regarding your options. Doctors must be expected to do what’s right for their patients instead of what’s right for their profit margins.