A blow to the fecal transplant field

Two patients contracted drug-resistant infections after getting fecal microbiome transplants, and one of them has died, according to the FDA.

As STAT’s Kate Sheridan reports, the FDA’s disclosure appears to be the first death publicly attributed to fecal transplant, which is an increasingly popular procedure for people with certain recurring infections.

The agency isn’t changing its policies with regard to fecal transplant trials, but it cautioned doctors to be mindful of the potential risks and promised to “aggressively monitor clinical trials to ensure patients are protected when safety concerns arise.”

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