Ethical Considerations

The Insurance Coverage Bioethics Dilemma

There a raging controversy among physicians since the advent of orthobiologics that I would like to explore. Should a doctor push a patient towards something that may work, but is a bad or “less good” option solely because there is insurance coverage? What ethical responsibility does the physician have to recommend all options and encourage…read more

Is R3 Stem Cell Really an Award Winner?

R3 is a marketing company run by a defrocked orthopedic spine surgeon that has gained lots of attention for flaunting FDA regulations and claims about its private-labeled stem cell products that can’t be verified. Not to be dissuaded, they have now created a host of artificial awards and press releases or what I called the…read more

Paragon Integrated Medical: The Scams Continue

It’s time again to explore the stem cell wild west. Today’s entry is a clinic in California, but what you’ll see here might as well be any integrative chiropractic clinic offering “stem cells”. I’ll cover two interesting models over the next two blogs on this topic that both miss the mark. Let’s dig in. Integrated…read more

The P and the O Shot? Medical Treatment or Enhancement?

There’s been an interesting trend out there for years, but one I have never really blogged on. Doctors injecting PRP into people’s genitals. More disturbing is that this is one of those areas that tends to leave the world of disease treatment and enter into enhancement. Let’s dive in. These Are Trademarked Terms Interestingly, these…read more

Why Did a Major University Sell Amniotic Fluid to a Fraudster?

This week’s blog on the Missouri woman who is being charged for fraud by selling Amniotic fluid brought up an interesting question. She bought this fluid from the University of Utah. Huh? Let’s dig in. The Missouri Case The feds this week brought criminal charges through a grand jury against a Missouri woman who was…read more

Feds Prosecute Amniotic “Stem Cell” Scammer

Several years ago I raised the alarm that manufacturers and gullible physicians were claiming that Amniotic and Umbilical Cord products were loaded with stem cells were in fact, committing consumer fraud. Like anything, it’s taken years for this reality to sink in, but now the Feds have charged a Missouri woman with fraud for doing…read more

Medicare Begins Cracking Down on Amniotic Tissue Billing

Can you get a “stem cell” treatment covered by Medicare? For the past 1-2 years, a handful of amniotic tissue companies have been trying to convince physicians to bill Medicare for their products. The problem? This is illegal. Now a new statement by one Medicare region lays a stick of dynamite at the feet of…read more

Do You Want to Buy a Placenta?

I’ve covered the shady world of birth tissue “stem cell” clinics and tissue suppliers many times. However, a new guide out for expectant mothers covers the procurement of these tissues. As I dug deeper into how that works, I found non-profits acting like for-profits. Let’s dig in. The Birth Tissue Game You’re a new mother…read more