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Hungary: Illegal stem cell clinic raided by police
Stem cell tourism -- patients paying for treatment at illegal "guerrilla" clinics -- continues to be a lucrative racket. Police in Hungary last week arrested four individuals they suspect of running an illegal stem cell treatment clinic in Budapest.Reuters reported the police saying that the treatments were unproven, based on stem cells taken from embryos or aborted fetuses, and cost as much as $25,000 per person. Gabor Bucsek, leading the police investigation, was quoted as saying that the arrests were "on suspicion of a banned use of the human body". The Health Ministry issued a brief statement saying that no institutions in the country have permission at present to carry out stem cell treatment, and only Hungary's Healthcare Scientific Council has authority to issue permission to conduct research. At least eight patients had been treated, although some bloggers report that there may have been as many as 100. Stem cell tourism -- patients paying for treatment at illegal "guerrilla" clinics -- continues to be a lucrative racket. Police in Hungary last week arrested four individuals they suspect of running an illegal stem cell treatment clinic in Budapest. Reuters reported the police saying that the treatments were unproven, based on stem cells taken from embryos or aborted fetuses, and cost as much as $25,000 per person. Gabor Bucsek, leading the police investigation, was quoted as saying that the arrests were "on suspicion of a banned use of the human body". The Health Ministry issued a brief statement saying that no institutions in the country have permission at present to carry out stem cell treatment, and only Hungary's Healthcare Scientific Council has authority to issue permission to conduct research. At least eight patients had been treated, although some bloggers report that there may have been as many as 100. Posted by: 3dc 2009-08-04 |
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