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A MyCOPDTeam Member asked a question 💭
Greensboro, NC
May 6, 2017
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A MyCOPDTeam Member

Yes. I went to the one in Dallas. I was not impressed with the staff there or the presentation. They could not answer my question about the data they keep. One of the people there decided to have it done. I kept in touch and he is disappointed that it did not work. Very expensive! No guarantee and no refunds. I would say avoid this if you don't want to lose a lot of money.
Mayo Clinic is testing treatments that work on rats. It will be a while before they can use it on humans, but there is hope for many.

May 6, 2017
A MyCOPDTeam Member

There are no stem cell treatments for COPD that have been proven to work. The companies that offer them have lots of testimonials from people who would have you believe that they came to the center weighed down by their O2, on inhaler after inhaler, unable to do anything but cough and gasp, and after treatment, they threw their O2 away, tossed their meds and went skipping down the sidewalk. Ask the people fronting these organizations for any proof that their treatment works, such as, increase in FEV1, reduction in use of O2, reduced medications, improvement in 6 minute walk, or even improvement in quality of life as measured by any of the clinically approved measures (St. George, CAT, etc.) and they get very quiet. My friend, Dr. Robert Sandhaus, a world renowned pulmonologist at National Jewish in Denver, calls it "snake oil". There's a reason neither Medicare nor any insurance company will pay for the treatment. And there's a reason they're charging $3000 to $10,000 for treatment: they want your money.

That said, most of the clinicians and researchers in COPD I know believe that the cure will probably have something to do with stem cells, and there are remarkable things being done in regenerative medicine at a number of universities and research centers, so there is progress being made. There just aren't any treatments now that have had any success.

The Lung Institute is one of the most persistent of these entities, and they promise the moon and don't deliver on much of anything. They are currently being sued in several states. It really is just snake oil, and a bunch of people who prey on desperate people who will do anything for a better breath. Don't fall for it.

May 6, 2017
A MyCOPDTeam Member

snake oil!

June 12, 2017
A MyCOPDTeam Member

Placebo effect or some temporary favorable results but show me one clinical paper from a verifiable reliable institution.Other than that smoke and mirrors &snakeoil

May 21, 2017
A MyCOPDTeam Member

My daughter in England has a friend that has had it done and is happy with the results.

May 21, 2017

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