Photo by Allie Garza Zannos Grekos Bonita Springs cardiologist Zannos Grekos should lose his license because he committed medical malpractice in performing an unscientific stem cell procedure on a patient who died, according to new case filings. State Department of Health attorneys also recommend that a judge fine Grekos the maximum $40,000 and order him to pay expenses to investigate and prosecute him, according to the states recommended order to the judge. The state costs to date are $200,222, according to Department of Health spokeswoman Ashley Carr. The case involves Grekos' unorthodox stem-cell therapy on 69-year-old Domenica Fitzgerald in 2010, who suffered a stroke and was taken off life support. She died April 4, 2010. John Fitzgerald, the victim's husband, pointed out Wednesday that the three-year anniversary of his wife's death is approaching. "I'm worn out," he said. "I want some closure. My family wants closure." Still, he said the state's two prosecutors have worked hard, and he had been told that $200,000 had been spent so far on the case. "I know the system is slow," he said. "It seems to be working." Go here to read the rest: Stem-cell doctor Grekos should lose license, pay heavy fines, costs, … Continue reading →

Kiwi freeskier Jossi Wells is hoping stem cell treatment will provide him with a shot at contesting next year's Sochi Winter Olympics free of knee pain. 7 February 2013 Wanaka freeskier Jossi Wells sounds almost wistful when he talks about the possibility of competing pain-free. Still only 22, Wells has lived and skied with patella tendinopathy - the same condition haunting top tennis player Rafael Nadal - for the last seven years. "I haven't had a day since I was 15 that I don't have excruciating pain in my knees as soon as I bend them," he told NZ Newswire. That hasn't stopped him from compiling an outstanding record in the demanding sport, including X Games silvers in halfpipe (2010) and slopestyle (2008), backed up by an X Games Big Air bronze in 2012. Now, a year out from the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Russian city Sochi, Wells is juggling his training workload with accumulating qualification points for ski halfpipe and slopestyle for their Olympic debut. Just as important, he's also looking at beginning stem cell treatment later this month in Melbourne which has the potential to help him compete without pain. It's a heady thought. "I can't wait … Continue reading →

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Feb 7, 2013) - VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. ( OTCQB : VSTA ), a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue, predictive toxicology and drug metabolism assays, today announced significant advancements in its stem cell technology licensed from the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, Canada. The advancements, which improve VistaGen's ability to develop new stem cell-based bioassay systems and potentially improved cell therapies for human blood system disorders, were reported in the December 2012 edition of Cell Reports, an open-access journal from Cell Press. The exclusively licensed stem cell technology from UHN, which applies equally to both embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), enables the efficient production of mature hematopoietic (blood) precursor cells.These blood cell precursors give rise to red cells, granulocytes and immune cells (lymphocytes), which represent the majority of the blood cells found in the body. "In collaboration with our long-term strategic partners at UHN, we continue to pioneer stem cell technology that promises to change the way we develop medicine and apply treatment," stated Shawn K. Singh, CEO of VistaGen. "In addition to creating new capabilities and in vitro assays for drug rescue and predictive toxicology, … Continue reading →

The state of the art Laboratory and clinic at World Stem Cells Clinic announces its latest in Stem Cell Treatments and procedures to rejuvenate the face, body, organs and increase the feeling of well being. Lutz, Florida (PRWEB) February 07, 2013 The Stem Cell Treatment at World Stem Cells Clinic takes 5 days to complete as the treatments are comprehensive and designed to maximize the benefits and safety a patient derive from the process. World Stem Cells, LLC worldstemcells.com will provide patient management service assisting the patient on their flight, hotel, provide transportation to and from the airport, transportation to and from your hotel to World Stem Cells Clinic, provide 24/7 communication and be the patients ombudsmen. FACTS ABOUT AGING The science shows each minute, our body is dying, this is a fact. Each minute that passes by our body has lost 300,000,000 cells. That means the cells that die in our body equals the population of the United States, each and every single minute. As we age less and less of those cells are replace and we slowly decay. Doctors have see people over a 100 that if cut nothing happens as there are no cells to close the … Continue reading →

Step By Steps clinical staff mentors high school students seeking to learn more about careers in special education and the treatment of those with autism and developmental disabilities. Worthington, Ohio (PRWEB) February 07, 2013 Throughout the program, LaMarche and Step By Steps clinical staff offered information and guidance on intensive behavioral intervention and the methods of applied behavior analysis (ABA). What sets this program apart from other similar internship programs is that high school students are able to participate in it. Typically, individuals under the age of 18 are not given the opportunity to work with people who have developmental disabilities such as autism. Through this program, young students will be able to learn from first-hand experience about the skills required to educate and treat individuals with developmental disabilities. said LaMarche. They will be better able to decide at a much younger age about a career in mental health and whether they would like to dedicate their lives to helping and educating others. The internships are offered through the Young Professionals Academy, of Dublin City Schools, for college-bound juniors and seniors from the Dublin Coffman, Dublin Jerome and Dublin Scioto High Schools. The program was designed to enable students to … Continue reading →

Public health Debate set Thursday on proposed mandate that insurers in Utah cover autism treatment. Advocates for autism insurance coverage will build a ball pit in the Utah State Capitol Rotunda Friday to represent the number of children affected by the brain disorder. Using a giant container built by Home Depot and plastic balls from Toys R Us, the Utah Autism Coalition wants lawmakers to know 18,532 Utah children have autism. The group will also distribute jars with 639 gumballs to each state senator and 247 balls to each representative, representing the average number of autistic children in their districts. Mandate debate set for Thursday afternoon The Senate Business and Labor Committee is scheduled on Thursday to hear SB55, which would require health benefit plans to provide coverage to treat autism spectrum disorders. The hearing is at 2:10 p.m. in room 210 of Senate Building at the Capitol. The public can also listen to the hearing live via http://le.utah.gov/. A ball for every Utah child with autism The display of 18,532 balls to represent the number of Utah children with autism will be installed at the Utah State Capitol Rotunda Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Read more from … Continue reading →

Feb. 6, 2013 Tai Chi may reduce falls among adult stroke survivors, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2013. Compared to survivors receiving usual care or participating in a national fitness program for Medicare-eligible adults called SilverSneakers, those practicing Tai Chi had the fewest falls. Tai Chi is a martial art dating back to ancient China. It includes physical movements, mental concentration and relaxed breathing. "Learning how to find and maintain your balance after a stroke is a challenge," said Ruth E. Taylor-Piliae, Ph.D., R.N., the study's principal investigator and assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Nursing in Tucson, Ariz. "Tai Chi is effective in improving both static and dynamic balance, which is important to prevent falls. Tai Chi is readily available in most U.S. cities and is relatively inexpensive." Stroke survivors experience seven times as many falls each year than healthy adults, Taylor-Piliae said. These falls can cause fractures, decrease mobility and increase fear of falling that can result in social isolation or dependence. Tai Chi has significantly reduced falls in healthy older adults. Researchers recruited 89 stroke survivors -- most of whom had ischemic strokes -- for a randomized … Continue reading →