{"id":384285,"date":"2023-12-18T07:45:50","date_gmt":"2023-12-18T12:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/the-great-prp-gel-tube-scam-regenexx\/"},"modified":"2023-12-18T14:00:58","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T19:00:58","slug":"the-great-prp-gel-tube-scam-regenexx","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/the-great-prp-gel-tube-scam-regenexx\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great PRP Gel Tube Scam &#8211; Regenexx","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"breadcrumbs\"><span><span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/regenexx.com\/\">Home<\/a> \u203a <span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/regenexx.com\/blog\/\">Blog<\/a> \u203a <span class=\"breadcrumb_last\" aria-current=\"page\">The Great PRP Gel Tube Scam<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-great-prp-gel-tube-scam-regenexx.png\" height=\"1024\" width=\"1024\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-94315 sp-no-webp\" alt> There\u2019s a PRP scam being run out there by many clinics that claim to offer PRP treatment. That\u2019s using cheap PRP Gel tubes made in China for pennies on the dollar, but that deliver \u201cfake PRP.\u201d Let\u2019s dive into this today so both providers and patients can avoid this scam.<\/p>\n<h2>What Is a PRP Gel Tube?<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-great-prp-gel-tube-scam-regenexx-1.png\" height=\"1817\" width=\"4016\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-94311 sp-no-webp\" alt> <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re a musculoskeletal provider using real PRP kits, you may have never encountered a PRP Gel Tube or seen one in use. Basically, they all have the following components:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A vacutainer or similar<\/li>\n<li>An inert gel<\/li>\n<li>ACD anticoagulant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>They are used by drawing PRP directly into an 8-12 ml vacutainer and then placing that tube in a centrifuge for a low-g (soft spin). That soft spin allows them to be used in cheaper, less sophisticated centrifuges. The gel acts as a way to get the buffy coat containing platelets to stay above the gel while the heavier RBCs and nucleated cells fall through that layer. You then either place a long needle in the centrifuged tube or invert the device and attach a syringe while you attempt to draw out the platelet buffy coat layer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-cta-container lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/regenexx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/blog-cta-background-6.png\">\n<p>Learn More About Regenexx<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Procedures<\/p>\n<p>Request a digital booklet and more information to learn about alternatives to orthopedic surgery and the Regenexx patient experience.<\/p>\n<div>We do not sell, or share your information to third party vendors. By submitting the form you agree that you&#8217;ve read and consent to our <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/regenexx.com\/about-us\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>How Well Does This PRP Method Work?<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-great-prp-gel-tube-scam-regenexx-2.png\" height=\"592\" width=\"1280\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-94312 sp-no-webp\" alt> <\/p>\n<p>The best research on how well this concept works was performed by Magalon et al. (1). They tested the \u201cRegenLab\u201d kits used commonly in Europe, which use this PRP gel tube format. Below are their results:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-great-prp-gel-tube-scam-regenexx-3.png\" height=\"554\" width=\"1184\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-92342 sp-no-webp\" alt loading=\"lazy\"> <\/p>\n<p>You get, on average, about three cc of 1.6X \u201cPRP\u201d and leave about half of the platelets in the tube (55% platelet capture). I have PRP in quotes here because this is well below the thresholds described by Marx et al. as the minimum concentration for PRP (2X or 5X) (2-4).<\/p>\n<h2>Why Are PRP Gel Tubes a Scam?<\/h2>\n<p>They don\u2019t produce a product that meets the minimum definition of PRP and, in fact, produce <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/regenexx.com\/blog\/2023-prp-rct-infographic-and-study-failure-analysis\/\">a slight platelet and leukocyte-enriched plasma that has been associated with clinical trial failure<\/a>. Why does using this low platelet plasma or \u201cFake PRP\u201d produce poor results? In-vitro research shows that in middle-aged and older patients, this platelet concentration isn\u2019t high enough to produce cell proliferation and healing (5).<\/p>\n<h2>Why Do Clinics Use PRP Gel Tubes if They Produce an Inferior End Product?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s all about the bucks, baby. I went online and did a Google search for PRP Gel Tube, and this is what I found:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$11.95 each on Ebay (pack of 20-Chinese knockoff unbranded)<\/li>\n<li>$3.30 each on Ebay (pack of 100-Chinese knockoff unbranded)<\/li>\n<li>$21.31 on Etsy (Single private labeled)<\/li>\n<li>$8.00 on Amazon (pack of 10-Chinese knock-off (unbranded)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>How much does a real PRP kit run that can produce at least 5X PRP? Usually somewhere between $200-400.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, in my opinion, many of these tubes look exactly like the branded RegenLab tubes:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-great-prp-gel-tube-scam-regenexx-4.png\" height=\"572\" width=\"788\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-94313 sp-no-webp\" alt loading=\"lazy\"> <\/p>\n<h2>Why Would a Patient Allow Themselves to Be Injected With Fake PRP From a Gel Tube Kit?<\/h2>\n<p>Patients don\u2019t know the difference. They also haven\u2019t received enough consumer reports type knowledge on PRP to ask the right questions.<\/p>\n<h2>Which Clinic Types Use These PRP Gel Tubes?<\/h2>\n<p>Most cosmetic dermatology, hair restoration, and cosmetology practices in the US use these cheap PRP kits. I have also seen them used in practices that advertise age management and throw their hat in the ring of injecting knees and any other area where their patients report pain. Finally, I have noted that a few orthopedic clinics also use them.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Avoid the Scam if You\u2019re the Patient<\/h2>\n<p>Ask them to show you the kit they will use to process your blood! If it\u2019s the same small tube that they use to draw the blood, then ask for your money back and leave.<\/p>\n<p>You can also figure this out by volume. For example, if you\u2019re middle-aged or older and have knee arthritis, the end volume that gets injected will be around 2-3 ml. You would need somewhere between 10-15X PRP in the joint, so multiply 3 ml x 15 to get 45 ml of blood drawn. Then you multiply by a platelet capture efficiency number, which for most low-quality kits is 50%, meaning you would need 50% more blood than 45ml or an additional 22.5ml. Hence, the total blood draw would be 45 ml + 22.5 ml=67.5 ml. So, if the clinic you\u2019re going to isn\u2019t planning on drawing around 70 ml of blood to inject 3 ml in your knee, then find a new clinic.<\/p>\n<p>You can also multiply the amount they intend to inject by a factor of 20 to get a rough idea if you\u2019re getting scammed. For example, if they want to inject 3 ml in both knees for a total of 6 ml of PRP and they aren\u2019t taking at least 120 ml of blood, then find another clinic. If they have no idea what you\u2019re talking about (how much they intend to inject in which joint vs how much they need to draw), then find another clinic.<\/p>\n<p>The upshot? The \u201cPRP\u201d gel tube scam is alive and well and likely constitutes half of all PRP offered if you broaden that scope to include hair loss and cosmetics. Hopefully, you won\u2019t fall for this fake PRP scam now that you\u2019re educated!<\/p>\n<p>_______________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p>References:<\/p>\n<p>(1) Magalon J, Bausset O, Serratrice N, Giraudo L, Aboudou H, Veran J, Magalon G, Dignat-Georges F, Sabatier F. Characterization and comparison of 5 platelet-rich plasma preparations in a single-donor model. Arthroscopy. 2014 May;30(5):629-38. doi: 10.1016\/j.arthro.2014.02.020. PMID: 24725317.<\/p>\n<p>(2) Marx RE, Carlson ER, Eichstaedt RM, Schimmele SR, Strauss JE, Georgeff KR. Platelet-rich plasma: Growth factor enhancement for bone grafts. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 1998 Jun;85(6):638-46. doi: 10.1016\/s1079-2104(98)90029-4. PMID: 9638695.<\/p>\n<p>(3) Marx RE. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): what is PRP and what is not PRP? Implant Dent. 2001;10(4):225-8. doi: 10.1097\/00008505-200110000-00002. PMID: 11813662.<\/p>\n<p>(4) Marx RE. Platelet-rich plasma: evidence to support its use. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2004 Apr;62(4):489-96. doi: 10.1016\/j.joms.2003.12.003. PMID: 15085519.<\/p>\n<p>(5) Berger DR, Centeno CJ, Steinmetz NJ. Platelet lysates from aged donors promote human tenocyte proliferation and migration in a concentration-dependent manner. Bone Joint Res. 2019 Feb 2;8(1):32-40. doi: 10.1302\/2046-3758.81.BJR-2018-0164.R1. PMID: 30800297; PMCID: PMC6359887.<\/p>\n<div class=\"targetdna-row\">\n<div class=\"col-2 col-2-m\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-great-prp-gel-tube-scam-regenexx.jpg\" width=\"98\" height=\"98\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-10 col-10-m\">\n<strong>Chris Centeno, MD<\/strong> is a specialist in regenerative medicine and the new field of Interventional Orthopedics. Centeno pioneered orthopedic stem cell procedures in 2005 and is responsible for a large amount of the published research on stem cell use for orthopedic applications.<br \/>\n<a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/regenexx.com\/doctors\/christopher-centeno-md\/\" class=\"teek-button\">View Profile<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><em>If you have questions or comments about this blog post, please email us at <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/regenexx.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#ddb4b3bbb29dafb8bab8b3b8a5a5f3beb2b0\"><span class=\"__cf_email__\" data-cfemail=\"3c55525a537c4e595b5952594444125f5351\">[email&nbsp;protected]<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>NOTE: This blog post provides general information to help the reader better understand regenerative medicine, musculoskeletal health, and related subjects. 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Biotech and Clinical Trials Intelligence. <a href=\"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Access Here.<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"plato-post-bottom-link-source\"><span>Source:<\/span> <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/regenexx.com\/blog\/the-great-prp-acd-gel-tube-scam\/\">https:\/\/regenexx.com\/blog\/the-great-prp-acd-gel-tube-scam\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home \u203a Blog \u203a The Great PRP Gel Tube Scam There\u2019s a PRP scam being run out there by many clinics that claim to offer PRP treatment. That\u2019s using cheap PRP Gel tubes made in China for pennies on the dollar, but that deliver \u201cfake PRP.\u201d Let\u2019s dive into this today so both providers and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":2,"featured_media":384308,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[],"acf":[],"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"link","format":"url"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384285"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=384285"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384285\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":384307,"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384285\/revisions\/384307"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/384308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=384285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=384285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=384285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}