Researchers devised "The Soup," a mixture of human cells and stem cells, to repair athletes' injuries. Many medical professionals question the effectiveness of the stem cell treatment, according to USA Today.
Here are six things to know:
1. The Soup uses stem cells derived from a patient's fat.
2. It could help repair injuries that may require surgery including damaged elbows, hips, knees, necks and more.
3. Many experts claim they are not sure if the treatment is effective or if it is legal by FDA standards.
4. Joseph Purita, MD, utilizes stem cell treatment to help various professional athletes recover from sports-related injuries including baseball pitcher Bartolo Colon. Dr. Purita used stem cells derived from the athlete's bone marrow to heal the athlete's arm before it collapsed.
5. Stem cell treatments have not had sufficient testing to determine their safety and effectiveness, raising concern among the medical community.
6. Many medical professionals claim stem cells do not need to get FDA approval because stem cells are not drugs and therefore are not subject to FDA regulations
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