PRESS RELEASE

8 June 2010

UK National Stem Cell Network welcomes recommendations on unproven stem cell treatments

The UK National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN) welcomes the report from the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Task Force on Unproven Stem Cell Treatments. The recommendations are welcome and needed, and the implementation of those recommendations through the proposed website will be important to help ensure the safety of UK patients who may go abroad seeking stem cell-based treatments.

Ben Sykes, UKNSCN Executive Director said "The UKNSCN has maintained a position statement on stem cell tourism for over a year now*. We want to see properly tested stem cell-based therapies available on the NHS in the earliest possible timeframe, and not prematurely in the private sector for the few who may feel they can afford to take what may well be an unknown risk. This report and its recommendations show how important it is that patients in the UK have access to the necessary information such that they may be circumspect when researching the possibility of going abroad for stem cell-based treatments."

There are many patients in the UK who suffer from incurable diseases and conditions and who are prepared to take uncalculated risks to improve their quality of life.

Mr Sykes continued "Whilst it is, of course, their right to make and be responsible for their own choices, patients should be aware that stem cell based treatments currently available in some overseas countries are very likely to be unregulated and not thoroughly tested."

It is important for stem cell based treatments, as for any other proposed treatment, to undergo rigorous testing and phased clinical trials to ensure maximum safety and efficacy. Untested, unregulated treatments may be at best ineffective, or at worst harmful or fatal. Patients seeking treatments abroad would be advised to avail themselves of all available information concerning an advertised treatment and ought generally not to receive treatment that has not been properly tested.

Mr Sykes concluded "Even if a treatment appears to have worked in previous patients, without proper clinical trials it is difficult to assess whether any improvement is actually due to the treatment or might have happened anyway. In the UK such treatments are also tightly regulated by law.

"Many purported treatments overseas are only available in private clinics at significant expense to the patient. A patient may spend large sums of money on potentially ineffective treatments and could actually suffer a decrease in quality of life, finding themselves returning to the UK to seek after-care at the expense of the UK healthcare system or further expense to themselves."

*For more information see:
http://www.uknscn.org/downloads/stem_cell_tourism.pdf

END

Contact

UKNSCN Media Relations
Matt Goode, Tel: 01793 413299, e-mail: ukpo@uknscn.org

Nancy Mendoza, Tel: 01793 413355, e-mail: ukpo@uknscn.org ,

Notes to editors

The UK National Stem Cell Network acts as a network for stem cell researchers and all stakeholders. It aims to bring coordination and coherence to a range of national and regional activities in the field of stem cell research. Its overall mission is to promote and enhance the coordination of research across the sub- disciplines of stem cell science, thereby helping to speed to translation basic research into therapeutic applications.

2010 will be the third UKNSCN Annual Conference, following on from successful events in Edinburgh (2008) and Oxford (2009).

The UKNSCN currently receives financial support from four of the UK Research
Councils:

• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)

The Network operates for all stakeholders in UK stem cell research. The secretariat is operated through BBSRC on behalf of all the Government sponsors of stem cell research, including the Research Councils, the Department of Health, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Technology Strategy Board. Its work is governed by a sponsors' Management Board, supported by an expert Advisory Committee.