by Andrea Lutz KTVB.COM Posted on May 4, 2014 at 9:41 PM Updated yesterday at 11:04 PM BOISE -- Modern medicine and early detection are helping women in the fight against breast cancer, but recently a decision in our nation's highest court has made it easier to afford the cost of genetic cancer testing. The Saint Alphonsus Breast Cancer Center in Boise reports that one in 500 breast cancer cases women have what's called the BRCA gene mutation. Saint Als Breast Surgeon Elizabeth Prier says knowledge of the BRCA gene has been around for the last decade, and identifying at-risk women has intesified in the last five years. A lot of women with BRCA1 will end up with breast cancer in their 30s sometimes in their late 20s, said Dr. Prier. That means women end up starting their fight with the disease earlier. Annie Pierce, a wife and mother of two, ended her battle with breast cancer before it even started. Excerpt from: Breast cancer test made famous by Angelina Jolie now more affordable … Continue reading →

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday reiterated that stem cell procedures in the Philippines are allowed only for three specific procedures while others remain unrecognized by the agency and are therefore illegal. In an advisory posted on its website, Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, FDA acting director, emphasized that only the following uses of stem cell therapy are recognized by the FDA Hematopoietic Transplantation (involving the blood cells to treat disorders of the blood and immune systems), Corneal Resurfacing with limbal stem cells (to treat the transparent, front part of the eye), and skin regeneration (for burns) with epidermal stem cells. All hospitals and health facilities are likewise warned that Republic Act 9711 or the FDA Act, otherwise prohibits the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising, or sponsorship of any health product that is unregistered. The use of Human cells, Tissues, and Cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) without the authorization or permission by the FDA is considered illegal in the country, Go said. In August 2013, the FDA issued a circular asking hospitals and other facilities offering stem cell procedures to register for accreditation. However, as of May 2, the FDA said not one … Continue reading →

Health authorities on Saturday reissued warnings against health facilities and medical practitioners offering stem-cell therapies or related products, which promise to cure a range of diseases, arrest the aging process or even increase libido. In an advisory, the Food and Drug Administration stressed that to date not one stem cell or human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) that applied for registration has been registered by the FDA for compassionate or clinical trial use or for general use. The use of HCT/Ps without the authorization or permission by the FDA is considered illegal, it said. The agency warned hospitals and health facilities of the provisions of the FDA Act of 2009, which prohibits the manufacture, use, advertisement or sponsorship of unregistered health products. This warning extends to all unlicensed practitioners from other countries and to tourists who visit the Philippines for leisure and medical needs. According to FDA acting director general Kenneth Hartigan Go, the FDA recognizes only hematopoietic (pertaining to the formation and development of blood cells) stem-cell transplantation, corneal resurfacing with limbal stem cells and skin regeneration with epidermal stem cells as generally accepted standards of healthcare procedures. If health institutions are doing these three procedures, … Continue reading →

Human embryonic stem cells can become any cell in the body. AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines Health authorities warned the public anew on Saturday about health facilities and medical practitioners offering unauthorized stem cell therapy and products. In an advisory, the Food and Drug Administration said that to date, not one stem cell or human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) that applied for registration has been registered by the FDA for compassionate or clinical trial use, or general use. The use of HCT/Ps without the authorization or permission by the FDA is considered illegal, it said, reminding hospitals and health facilities of the provisions of the FDA Act of 2009, which prohibits the manufacture, use, advertisement or sponsorship of unregistered health products. This warning extends to all unlicensed practitioners from other countries and to tourists who visit the Philippines for leisure and medical needs, the advisory added. According to FDA acting director general Kenneth Hartigan Go, the FDA recognizes only hematopoietic (pertaining to the formation and development of blood cells) stem cell transplantation, corneal resurfacing with limbal stem cells and skin regeneration with epidermal stem cells as generally accepted standards of health care procedures. If health institutions … Continue reading →