Experts urge caution as Ozzy Osbourne announces stem cell therapy and highlight potential risks.

Some experts advise that stem cell therapy may not be suitable for everyone, as Ozzy Osbourne has opted for it.

In his latest episode of "Ozzy Speaks" on SiriusXM with Billy Morrison, Osbourne disclosed that he recently went to a follow-up appointment "after receiving stem cells."

In the episode, the rocker mentioned that he had received a previous treatment three months prior.

Osbourne stated, "You possess it, yet you go, 'I'm not feeling so great,' but I'm unsure what life would be like without it."

The musician has grappled with various severe health issues affecting his mobility, including Parkinson's disease, according to a report from the past few years.

In 2020, when he began stem cell treatment, his daughter Kelly Osbourne stated that he desired to "rejoin the world."

"The progress he's made after one stem cell treatment is astonishing," she remarked.

Planet Chronicle Digital reached out Ozzy Osbourne for comment.

An overview of the treatment and its risks and benefits is provided below.

What are stem cells?

Almost every tissue in the body contains stem cells, as stated on the Mayo Clinic website.

Stem cells possess the ability to heal tissues and transform into various cell types, including brain, muscle, and bone cells.

Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, head of the hematology division at Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami, shared with Planet Chronicle Digital that they frequently employ cellular therapies, including stem cells, to treat blood and bone marrow cancers.

According to the theory, administering high doses of chemotherapy to individuals with these cancers can eliminate the cancer. However, these therapies may contain such high doses that they could destroy the healthy cells in the bone marrow.

Experts can "rescue" the bone marrow by giving stem cells to a patient from a healthy donor.

Sekeres stated that another advantage of using healthy donor stem cells is that they will generate a new immune system to eradicate any remaining cancer.

He remarked that the application of stem cells had resulted in the saving of tens of thousands of lives.

Therapies ‘largely experimental’

The FDA has approved stem cell therapies to treat specific blood and immune system cancers, as stated by the CDC.

In 2023, the FDA approved a cell therapy derived from cord blood to reduce the risk of infection following stem cell transplants.

Sekeres pointed out that experimental and unproven, stem cell therapy is often used for purposes other than its intended application.

According to Dr. Michael S. Okun, a Florida-based medical advisor to the Parkinson’s Foundation, stem cell therapy, while having potential benefits, is not considered a "silver bullet" for treating Parkinson's disease.

Despite the progress made in stem cell technology, the understanding that Parkinson's disease involves more than just dopamine highlights the significance of multidisciplinary treatment, as stated by Okun, the executive director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida Health in Gainesville, Florida, in an interview with Planet Chronicle Digital.

According to the FDA's website, all stem cell products need their approval.

If ever offered a treatment for Parkinson's stem cell therapy, individuals should exercise caution, advised Okun.

"It is advised to obtain a copy of the institutional review board approval, which serves as proof that researchers have been granted permission to conduct research on human subjects."

(An institutional review board ensures ethical treatment of research subjects.)

Okun stated that as stem cell therapy is still under investigation, you should never be charged to participate in a research trial.

"Folks interested in Parkinson’s stem cell therapy should be cautious if ever offered a treatment."

"Stem cell tourism is a growing industry, where individuals may pay substantial amounts of money for transplants, and in some instances, may experience irreversible side effects."

Potential adverse side effects

Another type of stem cell therapy is a stem cell transplant, which entails infusing another person's stem cells into the recipient's body.

According to experts, sometimes these stem cells originate from the bone marrow, which is commonly referred to as a bone marrow transplant.

A cord blood transplant involves harvesting blood from a baby's umbilical cord.

If the donor stem cells are recognized as "foreign" by the immune system, some individuals may experience rejection symptoms.

The National Health Service states that acute symptoms may include an itchy rash, diarrhea, general malaise, shortness of breath, and yellowing of the eyes.

The National Cancer Institute's website states that long-term complications of cancer treatment may include infertility, various cancers, cataracts, bone or muscle weakness, and damage to certain organs such as the liver, kidney, lung, or heart.

Sekeres advised against viewing stem cell therapy as a "fountain of youth."

A study in JAMA Network Open found that patients who received unapproved stem cell therapy products experienced a multi-bacterial outbreak.

According to the FDA's website, the agency advises emailing [email protected] to confirm if a therapy is approved.

Planet Chronicle Digital reached out to the FDA for further comment.

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