Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a lawsuit against a door-to-door stem cell therapy treatment company for false advertisement and misleading claims regarding the effectiveness of their services, according to a press release Wednesday.
The suit alleges that 250 Iowans were defrauded of almost $1 million, averaging $9,000 each. The companies named in the lawsuit allegedly targeted elderly Iowans by selling “unproven and invasive” therapies.
The lawsuit also alleged some of the misleading claims include that stem cells would find, repair, and regenierate damaged tissues.
Some of the misleading claims include that stem cells would “seek out” problems throughout the human body, could repair and regenerate damaged tissues, and were completely safe except for possible minor flu-like symptoms.
Bird’s office also announced a settlement agreement with Definitive Wellness, another company offering stem cell therapy treatments in Iowa. Definitive Wellness agreed to stop operating in Iowa. They will also pay $58,000 to the consumer education and litigation fund.
“Taking advantage of Iowans suffering from health issues is illegal and dangerous,” Bird said in a News Release. “Iowans should not have to fear being ripped off for fake stem cell therapies that expose them to major health risks.”