PRC summons PMA officials on stem cell therapy

MANILA, Philippines - Amid the brewing controversy over the practice of stem cell therapy in the country, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) summoned officials of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) to a meeting today.

According to PMA president Leo Olarte, they received a “letter of invitation” from the PRC Board of Medicine to attend a meeting at its headquarters in Manila.

“The letter did not say what the meeting is all about but we will be coming,” he said.

Stem cell therapy had recently divided Filipino doctors.

Last week, the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), Philippine Society of General Internal Medicine (PSGIM), Philippine Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (PSHBT) and Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) assailed the Philippine Society of Stem Cell Medicine (PSSCM) for charging exorbitant fees for stem cell procedures that are still under clinical trial.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona, a known kidney transplant doctor, is the honorary chairman of the PSSCM, which was founded in January this year.

The groups claimed that worldwide stem cell therapy could be applied only in “proven” conditions like in bone marrow diseases, hematologic malignancies like leukemia and lymphoma, but PSSCM doctors are using it even in other conditions like diabetes, hypertension, stroke, autism, erectile dysfunction, rheumatoid and ostheoarthritis.

They also maintained that instead of the patients being paid for undergoing experimental procedures, stem cell transplant doctors charge them big fees.

The groups submitted a position paper to the PRC last week, asking the agency to investigate these unethical practices of many transplant doctors.

But Olarte noted that PSSCM follows Administrative Order No. 2013-2012 issued by the Department of Health (DOH) last March.

He added the order, which contains “Rules and Regulations Governing the Accreditation of Health Facilities Engaging in Human Stem Cell or Cell-based or Cellular Therapies in the Philippines,” stated that only autologous stem cell sources or those harvested from the patients themselves can be used.

“That’s what we practice. We do not use stem cells taken from animals, human embryos or aborted fetuses,” he said.

Asked about the exorbitant fees charged for experimental procedures, Olarte claimed there is nothing wrong with that as long as the patients are not promised to be totally cured of their illnesses.

“You cannot do it for free because the equipment and the re-agent used in these procedures are expensive.  Maybe in charity cases but as a general rule, it’s not for free,” Olarte added.