If you visit the XCell Center’s website today you will be greeted with the following message:
“Due to a new development in German law, stem cell therapy is currently not possible to perform at the XCell-Center. Regretfully for this reason, we must cancel your appointment until further notice. We will notify you for further updates about the matter.”
Upon checking further, I found a news blog - from Nature.com - which posted the following headline, dated 5/9/2011: Notorious Stem Cell Therapy Centre Closes in Germany.Rather than reproduce the entire article here, I have included the address of the blog site.
http://blogs.nature.com/news/2011/05/notorious_stem_cell_therapy_ce_1.html
In brief, the article reveals that the XCell Center took advantage of certain legal loopholes to extend its authority to conduct stem cell therapy from 2009 until 2011 when stricter regulations took effect and required XCell to secure state licenses. XCell has not secured this license which led to the order to cease operations.
In addition, the article states investigations are underway into the death of an 18-month old boy, and the near death of a ten-year old boy, both under treatment last year. According to the article, local public prosecutors are considering charges against an XCell doctor and the company’s management.
As a former stem cell recipient at XCell, I am extremely disappointed with these events and I look forward to the Center's response to the investigation. It appears, however, that the XCell Center may indeed be involved in fraudulent, or at the least, intentionally misleading activities.
What a shame that a score of MSA patients, along with many persons hoping to ease the ravages of other diseases, may have been duped by a group of unscrupulous medical mobsters.
