What is it about?
"Stem cell" injections are increasingly being used for treatment of knee osteoarthritis. However, there is a lack of published clinical evidence supporting their effectiveness. To this end, such treatments are not covered by insurance and must be paid out-of-pocket by patients. This paper examines "stem cell" clinics in the U.S., and quantifies the 1) clinical efficacy marketed to consumers and 2) the significant variations in price for these treatments.
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Why is it important?
Our findings show that even though there is little substantive clinical evidence indicating for the use of "stem cells" for knee OA, stem cell clinics are marketing otherwise. Furthermore, there is significant price variation in cost of the same stem cell treatment depending on geographic location. These conclusions are useful for patients and clinicians alike who are considering participating in these treatments.
Perspectives
It was a pleasure to be a part of this article. I believe it is especially relevant for patients considering stem cell treatments, because they should be properly informed of the costs and benefits beforehand.
Mitchell Ng
Cleveland Clinic
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Stem-Cell Market for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Patient Perspective, The Journal of Knee Surgery, July 2017, Thieme Publishing Group,
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1604443.
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