China stops unapproved stem cell treatments

January 10, 2012

BEIJING, Jan 10 — China has ordered a halt to all unapproved stem cell treatments and clinical trials, state media reported today, as Beijing seeks to rein in the largely untested stem cell therapies now on offer across the country.

The Ministry of Health has also stopped accepting new applications for stem cell programmes, a ban that will last until July and comes as China begins a one-year programme to regulate the sector better, Xinhua cited a ministry spokesman as saying.

A growing number of hospitals and specialist clinics in large cities in China have been offering stem cell therapies in recent years for treatment of diseases ranging from cancer and Alzheimer’s to spinal cord injuries, treatments that are backed by little or no scientific evidence and which are considered at best experimental.

Some of these involve large general hospitals where patients pay thousands — or even tens of thousands — of dollars for treatments that are advertised online.

The ministry spokesman said health providers could no longer charge money for experimental stem cell applications.

According to patients, doctors and relatives of patients who spoke to Reuters earlier, patients have come away with little or no improvement and a number have died. Receipts seen by Reuters indicate that one of these hospitals is run by the Chinese army.

Such treatment involving stem cell therapies is not confined to China.

Experts have raised the alarm about patients turning up at clinics and hospitals in Mexico, India, Turkey, Russia and elsewhere for stem cell therapies that have not undergone clinical trials and which are not recognised as standard treatment.

Last week, the United States’ Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about unproven stem cell claims.

China’s Ministry of Health was not immediately reachable for comment after the Xinhua report. — Reuters

Clinic services - updated list

NEEDLE therapy + GROWTH FACTOR therapy
Needle Therapy is a piercing method creating micro-channels on the skin by using arrays of needles to increase the absorption of Growth factor or PRP to produce collagen. (Detailed info @ http://drleng.blogspot.com/2011/10/growth-factor-therapy.html)

PRP Tissue Regeneration (using MyCells kit, For more info: http://www.my-cells.net/FAQ.htm) – for total face rejuvenation, to fill in deep lines & rebuild collagen using your own growth factors derived from your own blood.

UNIXEL FRACTIONAL CO2 LASER RESURFACING (For more info: www.drleng.blogspot.com/2009/09/unixel-fractional-co2-laser.html )
o Scars (acne, burns, surgical, traumatic)
o wrinkles & skin tightening
o melasma
o uneven skin pigmentation
o open pores

RADIOFREQUENCY skin tightening and face lifting

MESOTHERAPY facial – microdermbrasion followed by needle mesotherapy with infusion of multivitamin & hyaluronic acid & Botox cocktail

Anti-aging BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES (BIH) - more detailed info @ http://drleng.blogspot.com/2010/06/bioidentical-hormone-replacement.html

CYNOSURE ELITE LASER (detailed info @ http://drleng.blogspot.com/2009/11/cynosure-laser-hair-removal-laserfacial.html)
- Hair removal
- LaserFACIAL for wrinkle reduction & skin tightening
- leg & facial Vein removal

BOTOX injections ( more details @ http://drleng.blogspot.com/2009/07/liquid-facelift.html)
- irons out dynamic wrinkles (frown lines, crows’ feet, undereye lines, lines around lips, Marionette lines, etc)
- brow reshaping
- face reshaping - square to slimmer jaw, calf reshaping
- “dermolift”

FILLERS
NEW!! - Teosyal Puresense - local anaesthetic is incorporated into the filler to make it an almost painless procedure
– Teosyal/Varioderm – fills out deep wrinkles & face reshaping e.g. injection to give fuller lips, fill out depressed (e.g. acne, chickenpox) scars
– Subdermal/Ultradeep – nose augmentation, fill out deep wrinkles, augment cheeks
– Mesolift – rejuvenate thin delicate skin around eyes, neck, back of hands


MICRODERMABRASION (diamond ) – resurfaces the skin, removes whiteheads & blackheads

DERMOELECTROPORATION aka needle-free mesotherapy– a non-invasive transdermal delivery system that delivers nutrients to rejuvenate the skin without trauma or needles


ELECTROSURGERY – removal of warts, moles, lumps & bumps

CRYOTHERAPY – removal of viral warts

MEDLITE laser – removal of pigmentation, tattoos and birthmarks

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) - good for epidermal pigment removal & overall rejuvenation

Permanent HAIR REMOVAL by ELITE laser

ACNE and SCAR treatment – FCO2 laser (see above), needleabrasion, chemical reconstruction of scars, subcision

RADIANTMAX LED Blue phototherapy for acne

RADIANTMAX Red Low Level Laser therapy for skin & & hair rejuvenation (more info @ http://drleng.blogspot.com/2010/06/lasers-useful-for-promoting-hair-growth.html)

KELOID injections

HAIR REGROWTH PROGRAMME
· home use Radiantlife HRx laser (www.radiantlasercomb.com) +/- in-clinic RadiantMax laser
· Needling cum scalp infusion
· Home-use hair care formulas - Regaine, Tricoaid shampoo & solution
· Oral prescription medications
· Oral nutritional supplements – Crowning Glory


WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMES
– oral prescription meds (Aslene, Duromine) & supplements, food replacement
- lipolytic fat injections

VELASMOOTH "3-in-1” radiofrequency, infrared & negative pressure & tissue massage to
- Reduce cellulite
- Smoothen & firm the skin
- Reshape & contour the body
- Relieves muscle aches & pains

SKINCARE brands – various

MINERAL MAKEUP

Growth factor therapy

Growth Factors are natural proteins found in our body especially in young skin - they play a key role in regulating growth of a wide variety of cells and tissues including production of new collagen and elastin. They help slow down the skin aging process, stimulate new collagen, elastin & hyaluronic acid growth, improve wound healing, decrease skin pigmentation & improve moisture content & elasticity.

They can address skin problems like wrinkles, sagginess, age/sun spots, enlarged pores, acne scars & stretch marks.

Growth factors can be delivered into the skin straight after fractional laser resurfacing or after needle therapy.

Please visit this link to look at before & after pictures of what growth factors can do for your skin. It's in Korean so just visit for pics: http://www.enskin.com/shop/m_mall_detail.php?ps_ctid=01000000&ps_goid=232

An alternative to growth factor therapy is PRP (platelet rich plasma aka PRP (For more info: http://www.my-cells.net/FAQ.htm)

Details of current promos @
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lengs-Clinic-Medical-Cosmetic-Services/286085575374

Treatment updates

Explore new treatments now available for:

1. Hair loss - DIY treatment @ home instead of spending thousands in clinics or salons

2. Acne scars - harnessing stem cell growth factors

3. Hyperpigmentation - paradigm shift in treatment approach - making it manageable for long-term maintenance & certainly more affordable



Check out new product "Reactiver" now available:
http://www.radiant2life.com/reactiver

30-50% discount on various products including:
- Lashbooster
- Skin whitening range
- Hair loss prevention

Dysport - wise words

Wise words about Dysport (botulinum toxin) from Dr Sergio Escobar M.D.,Argentina, International Fellow American Academy of Dermatology.

"Each patient should be evaluated individually in order to customize treatment according to his/her personal characteristics & preferences.

Notwithstanding this, irrational use of this cosmetic tool has generated fear in many individuals, thus making them reluctant to treatment. There are numerous cases in which excessive use of aesthetic procedures has led to terrible outcomes, but it is also true that doing nothing does not seem to be a good alternative either.

Long term use of botulinum toxin has a beneficial effect fro the aesthetic point of view, and it is estimated that if the treatment approach is adequate, with the right dosage, treatment administered twice to three times a year & in combination with other treatments, the passing of time may work in the patient's favor & not against."

IV skin whitener could be deadly

Publish date: May 19, 2011
By: Bill Gillette
Source: Cosmetic Surgery Times

Manila, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines has issued an advisory that warns of the potentially serious risks of using the popular intravenous skin whitener glutathione (Glutathione IV), GMA News Online reports.

Citing reports received by the agency, Director Suzette Lazo, M.D., is quoted in the advisory as saying, “The alarming increase in the unapproved use of glutathione administered intravenously as a skin-whitening agent at very high doses is unsafe and may result in serious consequences to the health of users.”

According to Dr. Lazo’s statement, adverse reactions include the deadly Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis; thyroid function derangement; suspected kidney dysfunction, potentially resulting in kidney failure; and severe abdominal pain in a patient receiving twice-weekly glutathione administered intravenously.

Glutathione is a liver-generated compound that plays a role in antioxidant defense, metabolism and regulation. It may induce a skin-whitening effect by inactivating the enzyme tyrosinase, which is needed in melanin production and converts the pigment to the lighter pheomelanin. Dr. Lazo noted that this claim has been disputed.

“When administered orally, (glutathione) is hydrolyzed by the gastric juices and further undergoes degradation by the liver enzyme, and the resultant bioavailability is low,” she said. “Intravenous administration delivers very high doses directly into the systemic circulation and may overload the renal circulation.”

Confessions of a Grouponaholic

I got this fantastic article from CNN written by LZ Granderson.
It just about says it all - everything from the customer's point of view & the merchant's point of view.
Enjoy the read!

Grand Rapids, Michigan (CNN) -- There's a deliciously seductive power to Groupon, isn't there?
It creates an illusion of urgency by using flashy fonts and touting retailers who limit the number of people able to take advantage of the tantalizing discounts. So instead of stopping to ask, "Do I need this?" there is an overwhelming sensation to grab it before it's too late. It's like Black Friday, except instead of standing outside in a long line at 4 a.m. for a 6-inch waffle maker, I'm getting my shopping thrill online.
My partner and I bought six coupons -- worth a total of $360 -- for $150 at a fancy steakhouse here in town. The problem is we don't really like fancy steakhouses -- never have -- so we've only been once. The remaining $300 worth of discounts will soon expire, but hey, at least we didn't miss our chance to "save."
It's a brilliant concept really and builds on one retailers have been using for years, such as offering rebates knowing a good percentage of the customers won't bother to mail them in. It's easy money -- which explains in part why Google tried to buy Groupon for $6 billion. That may be a bit generous of an offer until you factor in that Groupon charges the merchant a hefty 50% of the sales made through its website. It's a lucrative business and one frugal customers like me love.
What I can't figure out is what does the company offering the discount get?
Besides screwed.
If you take a service that normally costs $100, the company may end up with as little as $25 once everyone else gets his or her share, assuming all the coupons get used. And that's before staff or utility bills are paid.
"There is an initial hit, but over the course of the year, there is a return," said Julie Mossler, a Groupon spokeswoman. "You can blindly spend a lot of money advertising on the radio or something like that, but Groupon does the best job exposing your business to thousands of people who may not be aware you even exist. That's the service we provide -- amazing exposure. And we work with our clients to help them retain those new customers.
"But our clients have to take responsibility, too. We can get the people in, but if the service isn't good or the quality isn't good, you're not going to benefit. ... If you suck, there's nothing Groupon can do."
Ouch.
But she's so right.

Joining Groupon's increasing mainstream popularity will likely bring in a rush of new customers, making it easier for small business owners to overlook the fact that they're getting squeezed between Groupon's fat cut of the take and the huge discount offered to consumers. And while initially Groupon may seem like a smart investment for small, struggling companies looking for a jolt, it shouldn't take long for mom and pop shops to see they may be cannibalizing what little business they have.
That's because the loyal customers who used to sustain the business at full price are now coming in with 50 percent-off coupons. But if it does take them long to figure that out, well, Groupon is probably the least of their worries. They're probably not a very good business to begin with, and they're paying Groupon and opportunistic customers to highlight that fact.
Now as I said, I'm a Grouponaholic so whatever problems I have with the company's practices is not enough to get me off the sauce. I love waking up each morning to see what new deals Groupon, Living Social and the other similar sites have are out there.
But truth be told, if I were starting a small business, I wouldn't do it.
Why?
Because the problem with attracting customers like me is that we're not loyal.
We're cheap. That's why 40 million of us signed up for discounts in the first place.
So even though Groupon works with merchants to help retain new customers, if we're offered a similar service or good from another company at a cheaper price, chances are we're gone.
Groupon's great at getting a customer's attention, but loyalty can only be earned.
It can't be purchased.

There's a boutique men's clothing store I frequent that doesn't do Groupon and only occasionally has sales. But I'm a regular, full-price paying customer because it does an amazing job.
It's like that line from the Oscar Wilde essay, "The Decay of Lying": If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.
For a new business owner the goal should be making the few customers believe whatever is being offered is worth the price, as opposed to selling the goods and services short to a lot of customers who may not even come back.
It's one thing for a company to see Groupon as a marketing investment. But if management believes it has to shell out upward of 75 percent of the receipts to get people to dine at their restaurant, then something may either be wrong with what's on the menu or with the people serving. And as Mossler said, if you suck, there's really nothing Groupon can do about it.
Besides something feels odd about a business model in which a restaurant owner stands to make more money if people don't show up to eat. At least not with the coupons sent out to attract people to show up to eat. That fancy steakhouse I mentioned earlier may make a profit off of my unused coupons. But it didn't earn repeat business, which in the end should be the most important thing.
Face it, if you're a businessperson struggling to make ends meet, Groupon's less of a solution and more like a magnifying glass.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.