New York Attorney General Letitia James is suing New York City-based Park Avenue Stem Cell alleging the clinic performed unproven and rogue procedures on patients, the New York Times reports.
What you should know:
1. Ms. James alleged the clinic used stem cells to treat conditions like erectile dysfunction and heart disease.
2. She said in a statement, "Misleading vulnerable consumers who are desperate to find a treatment for serious and painful medical conditions is unacceptable, unlawful and immoral."
3. The Attorney General's Office is attempting to police the unethical claims made by stem cell clinics in New York, following in the FDA's national efforts. The FDA warned several clinics to stop performing dangerous, untested treatments earlier in the week and sued several others in 2018.
4. Stem cell clinic operators open clinics despite having any evidence that support stem cell treatments.
5. Park Avenue Stem Cell is the personal clinic of Joel Singer, MD. Dr. Singer paid a $5,000 fine in the past to satiate unrelated misconduct charges.
6. The clinic allegedly told patients they were part of a patient-funded research study. The patients would pay at least $3,995 to receive the treatments.
7. The clinic added several disclaimers to the clinic's website, but Ms. James alleges the clinic gave the "net impression" that stem cells were effective.
8. The state wants the judge to ban the clinic from performing the fraudulent treatments and is seeking cash payments for any patients injured as a result of the treatments.