Marino Andolina, a doctor
previously involved in the Stamina medical treatment affair, was
among five people arrested in connection with payments made for
an "innovative treatment" for serious neuro-degenerative
disorders including ALS, police said Monday.
Andolina was placed under house arrest and three people
outside the medical professional were also arrested and face
charges including conspiracy to take advantage of the
vulnerable.
About 30 patients suffering from serious diseases including
ALS and leukemia were allegedly misled about the positive
effects of the therapy.
It reportedly involved a form of stem-cell treatment.
Andolina was vice-president of the Stamina Foundation but
in February said the controversial treatment was "dead" and
asked for a plea bargain with prosecutors in a case dating to
mid-2014.
His request followed the convictions of two others in
connection with the use of the discredited stem-cell treatment
that most medical authorities have denounced.
The founder of Italy's Stamina movement Davide Vannoni was
denounced after a study found its treatment was "ignorant of
stem-cell biology".
The Stamina treatment involved extracting bone-marrow stem
cells from the patient, turning them into neurons by exposing
them to retinoic acid for two hours, and injecting them back
into the patient.
Supporters of the therapy thought it could be a cure for
fatal degenerative nerve diseases such as spinal muscular
atrophy, while detractors said it was devoid of scientific
merit.
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