RIYADH: The Director of the Obesity, Endocrinology and Metabolism Center at King Fahd Medical City, Abdulrahman al-Maghamsi, has denied recent news reports on social media websites about the transplanting of stem cells to diabetes patients in the city.

He said that the procedure is still being researched, and hopes these experiments will become successful so that patients can stop using drugs and lead healthier, easier lives.

Al-Maghamsi said in a press statement that the center denies the accuracy of recent news in the local press which quoted its official spokesman Mshabib Asiri as saying that stem cells are already being transplanted for diabetes patients, adding that some centers claim they have stem cell treatments purely as a way to cheat patients out of their money, when no such technology exists yet.

He went on to explain that diabetes is a chronic disease and occurs when the pancreas becomes unable to produce insulin in sufficient quantities, or when it fails to utilize the insulin it produces. He said that diabetes can be connected to hereditary causes, too, and has a direct link with reduced pancreatic functionality.

He called on diabetes patients to read about the disease, and to maintain a healthy lifestyle including a proper diet, regular exercise and up-to-date treatment plans.


He noted that patients should undertake annual eye, blood and urine tests to monitor their status, in addition to visiting the doctor every three to six months to check their progress.