Olfactory ensheathing glia injections in Beijing: Misleading patients with ALS

Abstract

Different forms of cell transplantation therapy are being tested in models of ALS. While the approach offers hope to patients with ALS, much still needs to be learned in the laboratory before it is ready for human trials. Nevertheless, clinics across the world offer various types of open label cell transplantation therapy for high fees. We report a woman who received an injection into each frontal lobe in Beijing, China. Her ALS progressed at a more rapid rate after the procedure and she suffered disabling side‐effects. Clinics that give experimental and potentially harmful treatments outside the construct of well‐designed clinical trials put patients at risk and do a disservice to the ALS community.

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• olfactory ensheathing glia
• cell transplantation therapy
• clinical trials