Legitimate vs. Unproven Cell Therapies for Vitreoretinal Diseases

In this interview from ASRS 2018, Dr. Ajay Kuriyan discusses the current landscape of unregulated stem cell clinics in the United States. While there are genuine clinical trials that have shown the potential of stem cell therapy, there are no FDA-approved stem-cell therapies for ocular diseases to date. Dr. Kuriyan's research has shown a proliferation of direct-to-consumer stem cell clinics, particularly in Florida, California and Illinois. Patients should be warned of severe complications related to these unregulated therapies and to look for several red flags, including being asked to pay for services and clinics that only focus on cell therapies. 

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