MS patient Jean Steele hits out at PMC

A FORTH Multiple Sclerosis sufferer, who raised over £8000 to fund stem cell treatment in Rotterdam four years ago, only to be frustrated when the therapy was cancelled at the last minute, hit out after a doctor at the Dutch clinic was struck off by the General Medical Council.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Oct 2010, 16:27 BST

Jean Steele (48), of Cloglands, who has had MS since 1995, was reacting to news that PMC Clinic's Dr Robert Trossel had been fired for giving hundreds of unsuspecting patients false hope of a cure when injecting them with cells from cows' brains and spinal cords.

"I was very angry with the way I was let down by PMC," Jean said.

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"I had decided to go for the treatment because when you have MS you'll try anything which could offer any hope of a health improvement.

"Although I was ultimately left disappointed, I think Dr Trossel has been made the scapegoat.

"I still live in hope that they'll find a stem cell cure one day."

At the General Medical Council last week, it was revealed that Dr Trossel had assessed MS patients at his London consulting rooms.

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They then had to travel to Rotterdam for treatment because it was illegal in the UK - as the procedure had only been tested on animals.

Dr Trossel told the GMC how he had paid 6000 for 'cutting-edge' technology which did not work.

The GMC told Dr Trossel: "You have given false hope and made unsubstantiated and exaggerated claims to patients suffering from degenerative and devastating illnesses."

Dr Trossel, who still practises in Rotterdam, said: "I would like to say how sorry I am for any distress caused to my patients."

For more information on this story, pick up a copy of this week's Carluke and Lanark Gazette which is in the shops now.

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