Athletes’ Use of Unproven Stem Cell Therapies: Adding to Inappropriate Media Hype?

Few areas of research have received as much attention from the popular press as stem cells. And it is no wonder. Stem cell research is extraordinarily promising, with the potential to produce groundbreaking therapies for a range of ailments. In addition, it has generated an exceptional amount of public policy controversy, attracting attention from presidents, prime ministers, legislators, and religious leaders throughout the world. Combined, the representations of the promise and perils of this area of scientific inquiry have made stem cell research nothing short of a pop culture phenomenon.