Opinion: Crowdfunding for unproven stem cell procedures wastes money and spreads misinformation

Using online platforms such as GoFundMe to solicit donations for health-related needs can help people access legitimate health services and avoid medical debt. But this kind of medical crowdfunding also raises funds for a multitude of scientifically unsupported procedures. We are particularly concerned about crowdfunding campaigns for unproven and unlicensed stem cell interventions, for which there is little or no evidence of safety and effectiveness.

Campaigns that seek donations for unproven stem cell interventions waste donors’ money, spread misinformation, and obscure the significant risks that unproven stem cell procedures can pose to patient safety.

Here’s a from GoFundMe, which lists thousands of campaigns for stem cell therapy. In it, the campaigner describes his wife’s degenerating health as a result of Parkinson’s disease. He describes his search for an “alternative procedure” to help