WA Sues Seattle Company For Peddling Unproven Stem Cell Treatment

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed a lawsuit against a Seattle-based company and its owner, accusing them of falsely claiming their stem cell injections could treat COVID-19, lupus, asthma, Parkinson’s, congestive heart failure, and dozens of other serious health conditions.

The company, US Stemology, runs the Seattle Stem Cell Center in the lower Queen Anne neighborhood. According to Ferguson's suit, it and it's owner, Dr. Tami Meraglia, charged 107 people a combined $748,250 for their unproven treatments. Some patients were charged up to $10,000 upfront for their chance to participate in the so-called "research."

Though the Seattle Stem Cell Center claimed its injections could cure numerous diseases, the Food and Drug Administration has only approved stem cell treatments for a select few blood disorders, none of which the center actually treated. Furthermore, while it is true that most stem cell treatments are not covered by health insurance, in most real clinical trials for unproven treatments, researchers pay patients to participate— not the other way around.

“Dr. Meraglia and US Stemology advertised stem cells as a life-changing miracle cure that could treat almost anything – even COVID,” Ferguson said. “They preyed on people’s fears and frustrations about their health to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars in unproven treatments. Their conduct brings to mind a 21st century version of snake-oil sales tactics.”

According to the Attorney General's Office, Meraglia began claiming her stem cell treatments could cure a number of conditions as early as 2018, starting her clinic "out of the basement of the medispa she owned". When the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, her company reacted by promoting banners like the one shown below, claiming stem cells could counter the coronavirus and urging consumers to "call now" for an appointment.

Ferguson's suit, filed Monday in King County Superior Court, alleges that US Stemology violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act by offering stem cell treatment "despite the fact that no adequate scientific substantiation exists to support the effectiveness of these treatments." The suit asks the court to require the company to redact all its unsubstantiated claims about stem cells, repay its 107 patients their $748,250, and pay $12,500 for each violation of the Consumer Protection Act— potentially millions of dollars in penalties by the Attorney General's Office's estimate.

Fraudulent stem cell injection sites have been a growing problem across the country, according to the AG's lawsuit. Anyone who has seen similarly suspicious or unproven claims about health treatments or stem cell injections can report them to the Attorney General’s Office by filing a complaint online.