Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks at a Republican rally on Nov. 8, 2022, in Des Moines. Bird sued a Minnesota man and his Florida partner last fall, alleging they misled consumers with stem cell treatments falsely promised to bring "Life Without Pain!" Experts call the treatments fraudulent, and many victims were elderly. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, The Canadian Press)
Advertisements promised “Life Without Pain!” through stem cell injections or IV treatments at home, targeting over 20% of U.S. adults who suffer from chronic pain. Flyers lured Iowans to free dinners across the state, after which salespeople visited their homes for high-pressure sales disguised as pre-screenings, according to prosecutors.
More than 250 individuals signed up, paying between $3,200 and $20,000 each, totaling $1.5 million. Nurse practitioners administered injections and IVs filled with stem cells derived from umbilical cords.
Experts and regulators have called these treatments scams and unproven. Some studies have shown actual harm. Last fall, Iowa’s attorney general sued two individuals behind these mailings. The lawsuit named a Minnesota man who hosts a Christian entrepreneurship podcast and his Florida business partner, accusing them of deceiving many elderly consumers.
Iowa joined attorneys general from New York, North Dakota, Georgia, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Washington in suing businesses that promoted unproven stem cell treatments. Stem cells, which can reproduce and transform into other cell types, hold potential for treating various diseases. However, the FDA has approved only a few therapies for specific blood cancers and immune system disorders, while most uses remain experimental.
The FDA has warned against unapproved, unproven, and costly stem cell therapies, which have sometimes caused blindness, bacterial infections, and tumors. In a 2020 notice, the FDA highlighted concerns about misleading marketing of unsafe or ineffective products.
Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg from Stanford University documented vision loss in patients treated with processed and reinjected cells from their bodies. He lamented that people spend large sums on unproven and sometimes sham treatments. Since August 2017, the FDA has issued around 30 warning letters regarding these treatments.
Experts like Dr. Paul Knoepfler and bioethicist Leigh Turner have raised alarms about the insufficient regulation of a U.S. industry with over 2,700 clinics. Turner believes state legal actions, which can impose substantial fines, might have a significant impact over time.
The FDA collaborates with state attorneys general to pursue these cases. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird sued the now-dissolved Biologics Health and Summit Partners Group, operated by Rylee Meek from Minnesota and Scott Thomas from Florida. Despite lacking medical training, Meek and Thomas promoted stem cells as treatments for back and joint pain at free dinners in Iowa.
Testimonials, such as one from a woman claiming recovery from multiple sclerosis and other conditions, misled people into believing stem cells were effective for various ailments. Iowa’s lawsuit described these practices as “scattershot, for-profit experimentations.”
The trial is set for March 2025. Meek and Thomas did not respond to inquiries, though their attorney denied the promotional materials were deceptive. Meek marketed himself as the “$100 million man” and co-authored a book on persuasion techniques.
Previously, Meek settled with the North Dakota attorney general over unlicensed sales of insulation products. In Iowa, Bird argued that the stem cell companies downplayed safety concerns, describing severe side effects as rare flu-like symptoms. Complaints included ineffective treatments for hip pain and sciatic nerve pain, with the nurse practitioner advising patients to drink more water and wait longer for healing.
Dr. Knoepfler emphasized that such treatments often hurt people and defraud them.
