Karachi Bioethics Group at its 4th meeting held here recently discussed the advertisement published by a medical firm in an English daily on 11th September 2005.
According to statement issued here on Sunday, the advertisement announced that stem cell therapy is now available in Pakistan to treat thalassaemia and other diseases. The Karachi Bioethics Group noted that they put forward no evidence to support that, this claim is deceptive and liable to mislead the general public.
The meeting, attended by about 30 healthcare personnel from different hospitals and institutions in Karachi, resolved that there is insufficient scientific data available to allow safe usage of retro-differentiation technique as therapy, the statement added.
It was also noted that British Medical Journal (Volume 330 January 8, 2005) had reported that Tristem Corporation, which is being represented by the medical firm, was asked to halt this research because of ethical violations.
Karachi Bioethics Group urged medical firm to withdraw its advertisement and publicity acknowledge that what they offer is experimental.-PR