A hearing of the General Medical Council (GMC) has heard that a clinic in The Netherlands treating multiple sclerosis (MS) patients from the UK was supplied with stem cells not intended for human use.

The Press Association reports that a BBC crew accompanied a British MS patient to the clinic to film his treatment – and subsequently interviewed the doctor concerned.

Dr Robert Trossel, 55, said he only discovered that a batch of stem cells sent to him in Rotterdam in 2006 carried a warning about their use when he took part in the BBC’s ‘Newsnight’ programme.

Dr Trossel told the hearing that it was a BBC cameraman who spotted a label on the vials reading ‘All Cells’ next to the barcode and batch numbers.

The clinic had a contract with Advanced Cell Therapeutics (ACT) to supply stem cells for the MS therapy. However, in August 2006, a batch delivered to the clinic bore new stickers giving information about the source of the stem cells, in accordance with impending EU regulations about tracing the source of cells.

Dr Trossel told the hearing that he had not seen the new sticker previously and had been under the impression that ACT always used its own contract laboratory. He said he was informed by ‘Newsnight’ staff in a telephone conversation that the cells were only intended for laboratory use, not human therapies – and was asked if he knew this.

Dr Trossel – who also practises in London – told the hearing that he did not what to say in response, but assured the ‘Newsnight’ team that if this were the case, the matter would be looked into.

The GMC’s Fitness to Practice Panel is investigating allegations that Dr Trossel offered – and made false claims about – treatment with stem cell therapy, Vitamin B therapy, Aqua Tilis Therapy and Therapeutic Resonance Imaging to patients with MS and Hodgkins' Disease, among other charges.

The hearing continues.

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