The US Food and Drug Administration has embarked upon a legal battle to extend its authority over stem cell treatments. It has enjoined a Colorado company, Regenerative Sciences, from treating patients with stem cells from their own bone marrow or synovial fluid. These are being injected to treat fractures, torn tendons and other ailments. The clinic charges patients US$7,000–9,000 and does about 20 procedures every month.

Christopher Centeno, the medical director of the company, is ready for a fight. He disputes the FDA’s jurisdiction. Since the company uses a patient’s own cells, as IVF clinics do, it is none of the FDA’s business.

Both sides realise that the case could be a landmark decision. Conventional stem cell researchers are wary of shady operators who claim therapeutic benefits for stem cells without much research.… click here to read whole article and make comments