Stem-cell therapies 'unproven and giving Thailand a bad name'

The international scientific community has condemned some clinics and private hospitals in Thailand for promoting stem-cell therapy for medical tourism and exploiting patients' hopes by purporting to offer effective therapies for seriously ill patients without credible evidence, a cell therapy expert has said.

"This damages the country's reputation. It will be an obstacle for scientists and researchers who conduct stem-cell studies and comply with the law," said Dr Niphan Isarasena of Chulalongkorn University's Stem Cell and Cell Therapy Unit.

Dr Niphan has attended several international stem-cell research conferences over the past year at which many scientists criticised....