Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
2.3.1 DrsShroffandVarma
One of the most well-known examples of unverifiable treatment being
offered comes from India. The clinic, Nu Tech Mediworld, is run by
Dr Greeta Shroff and Dr Ashish Verma in New Delhi. According to
media reports, these doctors claim to have a unique formula of
embryonic stem cells sourced from a single
in vitro
fertilized embryo
and grown without using any animal feeder cells that has been given
to a number of patients without any adverse consequences (Ramesh,
2005; Macey, 2008; Dhillon, 2008; Khullar, 2009). The exact number
of patients treated is hard to estimate and figures vary from report to
report. Nevertheless, some patients who have been to Nu Tech
Mediworld and received the stem cell injections are happy to report to
journalists that the treatment was more than worth it, with significant
improvements in bodily function that have resulted in improved
quality of life (Macey, 2008; Dhillon, 2008; Khullar, 2009).
Although these patients have reported improvements in bodily
function, it is not clear exactly how this happens. The lack of
verifiable scientific data documenting the procedure and the
mechanism by which it works is one reason for a high level of
scepticism within the scientific community about the effectiveness of
the treatments performed at the clinic. For example, one spinal
injured patient reported to an Australian journalist feeling sensation
in her feet that had not been there before after a series of treatments
at Nu Tech Mediworld (Hayes, 2007). An independent doctor asked
to verify the patient's improvement said it was questionable whether
the improvement could be attributed to the stem cell treatment she
had received or intensive physical therapy (Hayes, 2007). Nevertheless,
the patient herself was committed to returning to India for more
treatment (Hayes, 2007). Other patients report similar outcomes
after treatment at Nu Tech Mediworld (Ramesh, 2005; Dhillon,
2008; Macey 2008).
Much has been made of the clinic's lack of willingness to provide
any verifiable data to the worldwide scientific community (Ramesh,
2005). Yet Dr Shroff claims to remind patients that she is not
promising any miracle cure and that she is simply there to try her
best (Khullar, 2009; Hayes, 2007). Under existing regulations in
