NeuroGen shut down for use of SCT for autism, cerebral palsy

Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has deregistered NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, in Seawoods, for violating Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines by providing Stem Cell Therapy (SCT) treatment to patients of autism and cerebral palsy.

Rajesh Narvekar, the NMMC commissioner, confirmed the development. “The orders were issued on Friday evening and the medical officer of health (MOH), Dr Pramod Patil, has taken action,” Narvekar said.

Dr Patil communicated to Dr Alok Sharma, director of the NeuroGen, on Friday through a letter, stating that under the provisions of Section 7 of Bombay Nursing Home (Amendment) Act, 2005, the hospital’s registration stood cancelled with effect from Saturday, and that it should not admit new patients.

Dr Patil, however, was unavailable for a comment.

The letter said the hospital was served with a showcause notice asking for an explanation for committing serious professional malpractice by treating patients in the absence of guidelines for this treatment from the National Medical Commission, a regulatory body.

The letter said the explanation provided by the hospital claiming compliances on January 27, 2023, was unsatisfactory as there were certain discrepancies.

“It has been noticed prima facie that by treating patients with this therapy, you are giving false hope, unrealistic expectation to the families, as well as exploiting them,” said the two-page letter, a copy of which is in possession of HT.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Therapy has been an internationally accepted treatment for blood cancer and blood-related diseases. “As per ICMR guidelines, SCT cannot be used to treat Autism Spectrum Disease, due to lack of adequate medical evidence,” the letter said, pointing out that the hospital’s letter head, information brochures and discharge cards publicly claimed to provide the therapy for autism, cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities, leading to the hospital’s registration getting cancelled.