Stephen Polgar
Australia
Case Report
Stem Cell Therapy for Parkinson
Author(s): Stephen Polgar, Leila Karimi and Meg E. MorrisStephen Polgar, Leila Karimi and Meg E. Morris
Randomized controlled trials [RCTs] are recognized as the most rigorous method for evaluating the safety and efficacy of novel interventions. The fact that a series of RCTs evaluating cellular therapies for Parkinson’s disease [PD] resulted in negative outcomes has delayed the translation of stem cell research into viable treatments for people with brain damage. At present, there are a variety of strategies being followed to improve outcomes for cellular therapies, including reassessment of the theory and methodology guiding the research program. In this position paper we present an argument based on empirical and theoretical grounds that the use of double-blind, placebo controlled trials are not the best approach for testing the efficacy of cellular therapies for PD. Evidence includes the highly variable effects of neural grafts found in double blind RCTs in comparison to the m.. View More»
