Marketing of unproven stem cell-based interventions: A call to action.

Exploiting science? A systematic analysis of complementary and alternative medicine clinic websites’ marketing of stem cell therapies

OBJECTIVE To identify the frequency and qualitative characteristics of stem cell-related marketing claims made on websites of clinics featuring common types of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners. The involvement of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners in the marketing of stem cell therapies and stem cell-related interventions is understudied. This research expl...

Single Versus Multi-Faceted Implementation Strategies – Is There a Simple Answer to a Complex Question? A Response to Recent Commentaries and a Call to Action for Implementation Practitioners and Researchers

Big Tobacco, Alcohol, and Food and NCDs in LMICs: An Inconvenient Truth and Call to Action; Comment on “Addressing NCDs: Challenges From Industry Market Promotion and Interferences”

In their editorial, Tangcharoensathien et al1 describe the challenges of industry market promotion and policy interference from Big Tobacco, Alcohol, and Food in addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). They provide an overview of the increasing influence of corporate interest in emerging eco...

Unproven stem cell–based interventions and achieving a compromise policy among the multiple stakeholders

BACKGROUND In 2004, patient advocate groups were major players in helping pass and implement significant public policy and funding initiatives in stem cells and regenerative medicine. In the following years, advocates were also actively engaged in Washington DC, encouraging policy makers to broaden embryonic stem cell research funding, which was ultimately passed after President Barack Obama ca...

Unproven stem cell-based interventions & physicians’ professional obligations; a qualitative study with medical regulatory authorities in Canada

BACKGROUND The pursuit of unproven stem cell-based interventions ("stem cell tourism") is an emerging issue that raises various concerns. Physicians play different roles in this market, many of which engage their legal, ethical and professional obligations. In Canada, physicians are members of a self-regulated profession and their professional regulatory bodies are responsible for regulating th...