Death of 3 politicians following stem cell treatment probed

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) is investigating reports that three politicians died one year after undergoing stem cell treatment in Germany.

Citing reports from the media, PMA president Leo Olarte said the politicians came from Mindanao. One of them died in April, while another passed away last month.

The PMA has not yet established the identities of the three politicians but it is coordinating with its chapters in Mindanao.

Olarte said that it should be established if the politicians’ deaths were caused by the stem cell treatment or because of their lingering illnesses: cancer of the liver and heart and lung ailments.

“We have to investigate if they died because of the stem cell treatments or because of their other illnesses. They actually went to Germany to seek treatment for liver cancer, pneumonia and heart disease,” said Olarte, spokesman for the Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine.

Olarte also said the victims could have been given stem cells from sheep and rabbits since these are allowed sources of stem cells in Germany.

“We reiterate our warning to the public that stem cells derived from animals are not allowed here in the Philippines because of the risks that they pose to patients,” he added.

Based on the Department of Health’s guidelines on stem cell treatment, the only approved source of stem cells in the Philippines are autologous (self) audit stem cells that can be derived only from the patient’s own blood, bone marrow and fat.

Olarte said these are the “safest and proven procedures that are available worldwide today.”

He warned that “xenogenic” stem cells, or those taken from animals, and “allogenic” stem cells, or those derived from other humans and not the patient himself, are not allowed in the country.

“Any other source outside the patient’s own body can result to death due to severe complications specifically graft versus host reaction, immediate or delayed hypersensitivity reaction and severe infections,” he said.

“Stem cells are our own natural healers or repair cells. Our immune system is our body’s own defense system against anything that can harm us (infections, etc). The immune system is therefore tasked to recognize our very own cells or tissues and thus not attack it,” he added.

The PMA is also looking into reports that the procedure is being done by foreign doctors in some five-star hotels in Metro Manila.

Olarte cautioned against unscrupulous individuals who take advantage of the growing popularity of stem cell therapy.