Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird sues door-to-door stem cell therapy company for false advertisement

The suit alleges over 250 Iowans were allegedly defrauded from over $1 million

Liam Halawith, Senior News and Politics Editor

September 13, 2023

Candidate for Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird delivers a speech after being elected during a watch party for Iowa Republicans on Election Day at the Hilton Downtown in Des Moines on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has been supportive of Bird. In May, Reynolds drew criticism for her support of Bird because she said: “I want my own [attorney general], please.”

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.”

About the Contributors

Liam Halawith, Politics Editor

he/him/his

Liam Halawith is a third-year student at the University of Iowa studying Journalism and Mass Communication and minoring in Public Policy. Before his role as Politics Editor Liam was a politics reporter for the DI. Outside of the DI Liam has interned at the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the Southeast Iowa Union. This is his second year working for the DI.

Jerod Ringwald, Creative Director

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Jerod Ringwald is the Creative Director at The Daily Iowan. He is a senior at the University of Iowa majoring in journalism and cinema. He was previously a managing editor this past summer as well as a former photo editor. During his sophomore year, he worked as a photojournalist covering news and sports.