Frequently Asked Stem Cell Questions!

Upholding the highest levels of ethical conduct, safety and efficacy is our primary focus. Five clinical stem cell studies for Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are registered through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at www.clinicaltrials.gov/stemgenex. Each clinical study is reviewed and approved by an independent Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure proper oversight and protocols are being followed.

We provide stem cell therapy for a wide variety of diseases and conditions for which traditional treatment offers less than optimal options. Some conditions include Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Stem cells are the basic building blocks of human tissue and have the ability to repair, rebuild, and rejuvenate tissues in the body. When a disease or injury strikes, stem cells respond to specific signals and set about to facilitate the healing process by differentiating into specialized cells required for the body’s repair.

Stem cells that come from your adipose (fat) tissue have distinct functional properties including immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory functional properties which have the capability of repairing and regenerating damaged tissue associated with disease and injury.

There are four known types of stem cells which include:

• Adult Stem Cells
• Embryonic Stem Cells
• Fetal Stem Cells
• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)

StemGenex Medical Group provides autologous adult stem cells (from fat tissue) where the stem cells come from the person receiving treatment.

StemGenex Medical Group provides autologous adult adipose-derived stem cells (from fat tissue) where the stem cells come from the person receiving treatment.

We tap into our body’s stem cell reserve daily to repair and replace damaged or diseased tissue. When the body’s reserve is limited and as it becomes depleted, the regenerative power of our body decreases and we succumb to disease and injury.

Three sources of stem cells from a patient’s body are used clinically which include adipose tissue (fat), bone marrow and peripheral blood.

Performed by Board Certified Physicians, dormant stem cells are extracted from the patient’s adipose tissue (fat) through a minimally invasive mini-liposuction procedure with little to no downtime.

During the liposuction procedure, a small area (typically the abdomen) is numbed with an anesthetic and patients receive mild to moderate sedation. Next, the extracted dormant stem cells are isolated from the fat and activated, and then comfortably infused back into the patient intravenously (IV) and via other directly targeted methods of administration. The out-patient procedure takes approximately four to five hours.

Research studies show adipose-derived stem cells:

• Have a higher immunomodulatory capacity;
• Can be more easily isolated;
• Is a much safer process; and
• Yields considerably larger amounts of adipose-derived stem cells than other sources such as bone marrow.

Read published research articles and studies on the comparison of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells versus bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells:

• “Same or not the same? Comparison of adipose tissue-derived versus bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem and stromal cells.” US National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Read more here.
• “Adipose Tissue-Derived Multipotent Stromal Cells Have a Higher Immunomodulatory Capacity Than Their Bone Marrow-Derived Counterparts”. US National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Read more here.
• “Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells are more potent suppressors of dendritic cells differentiation compared to bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells”. Read more here.
• “Concise Review: Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells—Basic and Clinical Implications for Novel Cell-Based Therapies”. Stem Cells, Research journal for publication of original investigative papers and concise reviews. Read more here.

Since each condition and patient are unique, there is no guarantee of what results will be achieved or how quickly they may be observed. According to patient feedback, many patients report results in one to three months, however, it may take as long as six to nine months. Individuals interested in stem cell therapy are urged to consult with their physician before choosing investigational autologous adipose-derived stem cell therapy as a treatment option.

In order to determine if you are a good candidate for adult stem cell treatment, you will need to complete a medical history form which will be provided by your StemGenex Medical Group Patient Advocate. Once you complete and submit your medical history form, our medical team will review your records and determine if you are a qualified candidate for adult stem cell therapy.

StemGenex Medical Group team members are here to help assist and guide you through the patient process.

• In order to determine if you are a good candidate for adult stem cell treatment, you will need to complete a medical history form which will be provided by your StemGenex Medical Group Patient Advocate.
• Once you complete and submit your medical history form, our medical team will review your records and determine if you are a qualified candidate for adult stem cell therapy.
• Once approved, your Patient Advocate will assist you with scheduling your appointment for stem cell treatment.
• The process of scheduling an appointment typically takes one to three weeks from the time of the initial contact to the date of your first appointment.

Patients travel to StemGenex Medical Group located in Del Mar, California located in San Diego County for stem cell treatment from all over the United States, Canada and around the globe. Treatment will consist of one visit lasting a total of three days. The therapy is minimally invasive and there is little to no down time. Majority of patients fly home the day after treatment.

The side effects of the mini-liposuction procedure are minimal and may include but are not limited to: minor swelling, bruising and redness at the procedure site, minor fever, headache, or nausea. However, these side effects typically last no longer than 24 hours and are experienced mostly by people with sensitivity to mild anesthesia. No long-term negative side effects or risks have been reported.

The side effects of adipose-derived stem cell therapy are minimal and may include but are not limited to: infection, minor bleeding at the treatment sites and localized pain. However, these side effects typically last no longer than 24 hours. No long-term negative side effects or risks have been reported.

StemGenex Medical Group provides adult stem cell treatment with mesenchymal stem cells which come from the person receiving treatment. Embryonic stem cells are typically associated with ethical and political controversies.

The FDA is currently in the process of defining a regulatory path for cellular therapies. A Scientific Workshop and Public Hearing – Draft Guidances Relating to the Regulation of Human Cells, Tissues or Cellular or Tissue-Based Products was held in September 2016 at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. Currently, stem cell treatment is not FDA approved.

In March 2016, bipartisan legislation, the REGROW Act was introduced to the Senate and House of Representatives to develop and advance stem cell therapies.

Stem cell treatment is not covered by health insurance at this time. The cost for standard preoperative labs are included. Additional specific labs may be requested at the patient’s expense.

StemGenex Medical Group does not provide PRP therapy for patients as PRP therapy has shown to be ineffective in research studies.

According to a research study performed by The Cochrane Collaboration, “When we pooled the limited data that was available for all these conditions, we found very weak (very low quality) evidence for a slight benefit of PRT (platelet-rich therapy/PRP) in pain in the short term (up to three months). However, pooled data do not show that PRT/PRP makes a difference in function in the short, medium or long term.”

Citation: Moraes VY, Lenza M, Tamaoki MJ, Faloppa F, Belloti JC. Platelet-rich therapies for musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD010071. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010071.pub3.

StemGenex Medical Group does not use Amniotic stem cells due to unknown safety and efficacy as well as ethical and moral controversy of donor stem cells. Amniotic cells have shown risk of rejection and risk of unknown donor origin which may result in transmission of potential transmission of pathogens.

StemGenex Medical Group is not offering stem cell therapy as a cure for any condition, disease, or injury. No statements or implied treatments on this website have been evaluated or approved by the FDA. This website contains no medical advice.

All statements and opinions provided by this website are provided for educational and informational purposes only and we do not diagnose or treat via this website or via telephone. StemGenex Medical Group and its affiliate treatment center offers treatments that are in the investigational stage to provide individual patients with Stromal Vascular Fraction that contains their own autologous stem cells and growth factors. The treatment centers provide surgical procedures only and are not involved in the use or manufacture of any investigational drugs.

StemGenex Medical Group does not claim that any applications, or potential applications, using autologous stem cells are approved by the FDA. We do not claim that these treatments cure any listed nor unlisted condition, intended or implied. It’s important for potential patients to do their own stem cell study and research based on the options that we present so that one can make an informed decision. Any decision to participate in our patient funded clinical stem cell studies is completely voluntary.