Stem cell treatment Costa Rica

[John Henry]

Just got off the phone with a friend in Venice, FL. who went to Costa Rica with a family member to have some dental work done. What would have cost $20,000.00 here cost $2,500.00 there and he and the patient were thrilled with the facility, DDS and the final product. They traveled via American Airlines for $235.00 each from Ft. Lauderdale Fl. the flight took 2 1/2 hours. They rented a two bedroom type Villa for $70.00 per night...

Since he was going I asked him to be cognizant of any word on Stem Cell procedures. He met a family who was there with a member who was paralyzed from the waste down who was to undergo Stem Cell procedure at the Cima Hospital there. He didn't have much more information other than she was going to spend at least six weeks there. I just found it interesting because it's the first time I have heard that facility mentioned. Seems like a first class Hospital.. For those interested..


http://www.hospitalcima.com/

 

[Cynthia]

Good info

Thanks for that update! I'm may be going to CR for SCT. I've heard about the Dentistry in CR being very good. Since my Sister will more than likely go with me she is interested in the dental work. Do you happen to know the name of the place where your friend went?

 

[John Henry]

Cynthia, I will get that tomorrow for you as well as the place that they were lodged at. I do know that they had to go back to the Dentist on a daily basis so that they could monitor the work she had done. The only thing that was costly was the fact that he did not rent a car, they took taxi's each time they traveled..

 

[Deaf123a]

Do any stem cell clinics in Costa Rica treat hearing loss? How does it compare to the stem cell clinics in China?

 

[barbara]

You might want to check with ICM. I'm not really sure if they treat for that or not. They are located in San Jose, CR.

 

[antonis]

Hi

I've been checking this forum for over a year now but this is the first time I am posting.I am from Greece so please excuse my bad English.
I don't know if anyone of you has seen this:http://www.kake.com/news/headlines/69538137.html

My 8 year old son is suffering from a very rare form of muscular dystrophy so this is very important for my family.
I would like to know if Dr Riordan has a good reputation.Barbara,you seem to know.If it is not appropriate to post your opinion in public please send me a PM.
Also,I've searched the web but I can't find their website.
Any help will be strongly appreciated.

Antonis

 

[barbara]

You can find the web address for ICM in the Ask the Doctor forum - Installment 17 with Dr. Fabio Solano.

I respect Dr. Riordan and believe that he has a good reputation. As with any stem cell treatment however, please realize that there are no guarantees especially with something that you describe as a rare form of the disease. For me, the decision would be an easy one. As you know I am a Pioneer.

Dr. Riordan has always been helpful and cooperative whenever I have asked any questions of him and was very kind to help obtain Dr. Solano as a host on the Ask the Doctor forum. Thomas Ichim, who is a member of this forum, also helped with that. He is associated with ICM as well.

 

[Sgt. Preston Walker]

Stem Cell Treatment for hearing loss

Do any stem cell clinics in Costa Rica treat hearing loss? How does it compare to the stem cell clinics in China?

Richard Humphries and I received ASC therapy for our Multiple Sclerosis in May 2008 in Costa Rica through the Institute for Cellular Medicine. Richard received signficant improvement in his hearing. Before the ASC, he wore hearing aids in both ears. While he still wears them, both of them have been turned down.

Doctors at the clinic thought they had identified the stem cell responsible for inner ear hair growth resulting in a return trip by Richard. The last time I spoke with him, he hadn't noticed any more hearing improvement.

You can locate Richard on the web and email concerning his treatment by googling his name plus MS.

It seems the improvement was accidental but I'll bet Dr. Riordan and his folks are considering it.

 

[Cynthia]

Yes, Preston you are correct they are considering it but they are not ready to treat yet. I have been in contact with ICM as they have a good reputation.

Here's My question to other pioneers what do you consider fair pricing of a stem cell treatment if you are an experiment? Meaning they don't have any experience treating your condition. Or you are one of the first few to be treated.

 

[barbara]

In a perfect world, experimental treatment would be free or we would be paid to volunteer. Unfortunately, most of the Pioneering companies that are worth going to do not have the funds to treat patients for free. Many are treating at what I consider fair prices, while there are a few that are taking advantage of desperate patients. No one twists anyone's arm to get treatment so it is a matter of do you want to try treatment now or wait for the U.S. to allow treatment and then many more years down the road have the treatment covered by insurance before you try it? I look at lung transplants as a good example when comparing the cost of an experimental stem cell treatment for lungs to a transplant. Stem cell treatment can cost anywhere from $2500 to over $65000 and the degrees of success are just as varied. A lung transplant will run from $300,000 to over a million depending on whether it is one lung or two and if complications arise. There are also anti-rejection drugs to be taken for life. There are no guarantees a lung transplant will work any better or as good as stem cell treatment, but it is an approved treatment in the U.S. and many insurance companies will pay for it.

The reason costs seem so high for stem cell treatment is that individuals are picking up the tab, not their insurance company. In reality, the costs are fairly reasonable as companies and doctors have expenses and must try to make some profit in order to keep up with new research and obtain the latest equipment to use on their patients.

 

[Deaf123a]

Richard Humphries and I received ASC therapy for our Multiple Sclerosis in May 2008 in Costa Rica through the Institute for Cellular Medicine. Richard received signficant improvement in his hearing. Before the ASC, he wore hearing aids in both ears. While he still wears them, both of them have been turned down.

Doctors at the clinic thought they had identified the stem cell responsible for inner ear hair growth resulting in a return trip by Richard. The last time I spoke with him, he hadn't noticed any more hearing improvement.

You can locate Richard on the web and email concerning his treatment by googling his name plus MS.

It seems the improvement was accidental but I'll bet Dr. Riordan and his folks are considering it.

Thanks for the information. One of my friends also talked to Richard Humphries and found out he got a 25db improvement in 1 ear and very little in the other ear. The 25db improvement was in 2 frequencies with little improvement in the other frequencies. Can you find out his before and after audiograms or at least what was his hearing like before stem cells and after and can you confirm the 25db improvement?

Yes, Preston you are correct they are considering it but they are not ready to treat yet. I have been in contact with ICM as they have a good reputation. They said they will let me know when they are ready to treat hearing loss. Nepsis & Progencell are 2 other clinics that will treat hearing loss but it is a brand new experimental program at this point. I know Nepsis has a good reputation on this board.
Here's My question to other pioneers what do you consider fair pricing of a stem cell treatment if you are an experiment? Meaning they don't have any experience treating your condition. Or you are one of the first few to be treated.

Nepsis is treating hearing loss for half price thru Feb 2010. I am seriously considering going there as their price is fair. The only thing I have to risk and lose is several thousand dollars. This is a tiny fraction the cost and risk of CI anyway. There's plenty of proof of stem cells working in animals and they are now doing the same on humans. It has already worked for some.

No one twists anyone's arm to get treatment so it is a matter of do you want to try treatment now or wait for the U.S. to allow treatment and then many more years down the road have the treatment covered by insurance before you try it? I look at lung transplants as a good example when comparing the cost of an experimental stem cell treatment for lungs to a transplant. Stem cell treatment can cost anywhere from $2500 to over $65000 and the degrees of success are just as varied. A lung transplant will run from $300,000 to over a million depending on whether it is one lung or two and if complications arise. There are also anti-rejection drugs to be taken for life. There are no guarantees a lung transplant will work any better or as good as stem cell treatment, but it is an approved treatment in the U.S. and many insurance companies will pay for it.

The reason costs seem so high for stem cell treatment is that individuals are picking up the tab, not their insurance company. In reality, the costs are fairly reasonable as companies and doctors have expenses and must try to make some profit in order to keep up with new research and obtain the latest equipment to use on their patients.

Those of us with life threatening diseases don't have the luxury of waiting. We will be dead long before the 10+ years it takes for FDA to approve stem cells. I agree with your example to first try stem cells before getting any transplants.

 

[Qasar]

An old polio victim

Good Morning, Barbara:

I'd greatly appreciate you asking Dr. Riordan if he has had any experience or information on treatment of a person who had polio many years ago, and was left with virtually no working muscles in his abdomen. He can walk, but with great difficulty, and with no muscle support for his back, he has had back pain for many years when he stands up for even short periods of time.

I guess the question is "Is there a statute of limitations" on the ability of stem cells to regenerate muscle damage suffered perhaps 30 or 40 years (or more) ago?

Thanks.

Qasar/Allan

You can find the web address for ICM in the Ask the Doctor forum - Installment 17 with Dr. Fabio Solano.

I respect Dr. Riordan and believe that he has a good reputation. As with any stem cell treatment however, please realize that there are no guarantees especially with something that you describe as a rare form of the disease. For me, the decision would be an easy one. As you know I am a Pioneer.

Dr. Riordan has always been helpful and cooperative whenever I have asked any questions of him and was very kind to help obtain Dr. Solano as a host on the Ask the Doctor forum. Thomas Ichim, who is a member of this forum, also helped with that. He is associated with ICM as well.

 

[barbara]

I'd like to include this question in the Ask the Doctor forum. I will also be glad to ask Dr. Riordan for you.

 

[barbara]

Dr. Riordan replied very promptly, however, he says he simply does not have an answer for your question, although he wished he did. Thank you Dr. Riordan for your assistance.

 

[Sgt. Preston Walker]

Richard's Response to this

Do any stem cell clinics in Costa Rica treat hearing loss? How does it compare to the stem cell clinics in China?

Last week I went in for another hearing test.
The right ear which had previously showed improvement in
2 frequencies still showed the improvement.
Now the kicker, the left ear which up till recently
had not shown any improvement did show a 25 decibel
improvement at the 8000 frequency. Not only was it a
surprise to see the improvement but at the 8000 frequency
was an even getter shock. So we had to have the left
one turned down which makes the sixth time the aids have
been moved in that direction.
I don't know where it will end up and I still wear the aids at this
time but maybe the future will show others with hearing loss
????????????

Richard

 

[Deaf123a]

Can you ask if he has before/after audiograms? What were the two frequencies his right ear improved in? I am getting stem cells soon and hope to learn more. I looked in animal studies and it shows animals getting an improvement in all frequencies, slightly less in the highs.

 

[Sgt. Preston Walker]

Can you ask if he has before/after audiograms? What were the two frequencies his right ear improved in? I am getting stem cells soon and hope to learn more. I looked in animal studies and it shows animals getting an improvement in all frequencies, slightly less in the highs.

I emailed Richard who said he would contact his audiologist and obtain the results of the test. I am also attempting to get his permission to post his email address on here.

I know his email address has changed but you could find some first-hand information from him by googling "My Fight with MS." This is a blog we kept through the Fort Worth Star-Telegram detailing our experience while were in CR. If the email address has "something" about foregolf it is his current address.

 

[barbara]

We also have a Blog section that Richard would be welcome to post information in. It can be difficult to field the type of response that posting his personal e-mail might elicit, but of course it would be his decision. It would be wonderful to have his story available on this forum as it is very inspiring.

 

[Sgt. Preston Walker]

Richard's email address

Barbara,

Richard has posted his email address on the blog through the Fort Worth Star-Telegram so he could receive any number of emails concerning the treatment from any number of sources.
I promise he and I have received a number of emails both good and bad concerning the treatment. He will not respond to anything he doesn't feel is appropriate.
He gave me his permission to post the information on this blog. If you don't feel comfortable with his email address being posted, I understand.

 

[barbara]

I don't mind you posting his e-mail address at all as long as he can handle it. I would still like to extend an invitation to him to post on the open forum or blog section any time as well. Thank you for keeping us updated.