I';m not either; I'm a patient and a patient advocate. I have a Ph.D. in Higher Ed and a lot of knowledge gained through 30 years of living with COPD. I sit on committees and task forces with some of the finest pulmonologists in the world, and while they all think that stem cells hold a great deal of promise for the future, not one would recommend that their patients go to the Lung Institute for the treatment. There is no scientific or clinical evidence that the treatment does anything except separate desperate people from some hard-earned money.

Dr. Robert Sandhaus, a leading expert in COPD and Alpha-1 at National Jewish in Denver, in a webinar sponsored by the American Thoracic Society's Public Advisory Roundtable and EFFORTS last Wednesday, called the so-called treatments so much snake oil. I get my information by talking with some of the leading scientists, researchers and clinicians in the country. Among other things, I'm the only COPD patient who sits on the Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee for the COPD Foundation and I get a lot of information from the men and women who serve on that group.

I'm sure the people you spoke to at the Lung Institute are very positive about their product. They probably also told you they are participating in a clinical trial. If you look their clinical trial up on www.clinicaltrials.gov, you'll find that all they are researching is whether the treatment is safe for humans. In addition, you pay handsomely for the privilege of participating as a human guinea pig. In any legitimate clinical trial, you would be reimbursed for your expenses, and usually you're paid.

If you ask them to tell you what kinds of increases in FEV1 numbers, or increases in the six minute walk test, or reductions in exacerbations, or reductions in medications taken two months after the treatment, you're not going to get anything substantive. We've called those folks and when asked the hard questions, they get very hazy and get you off the phone very quickly. They've got a great website and it looks wonderful, they sell their product well.......and it doesn't do any good in the long run.

Your doc is wrong: the treatment is available for a price and it doesn't work. Maybe he means there's nothing right now that works.

I asked my Dr. about stem cells and he said if I am still alive 10 yrs. from now the procedure might be proven. Until then it's just not available.

If you are interested contact the Lung Institute.I have a piece of information from them.

Thanks Jean, good info.