This page consolidates the disclosures, regulatory positions, and statements of practice that Apex believes patients have a right to see in plain language. It updates as our practice evolves; the "updated" date at the bottom reflects the current version.
Financial disclosures
Compensation structure. Apex is owned and operated by Dr. Farhan Abdullah. The clinic does not have outside investors, private equity ownership, or third-party medical group affiliations that would create conflicts in clinical decisions.
Vendor relationships. Apex purchases cell products, exosomes, equipment, and consumables from various FDA-registered processors and medical device manufacturers. We pay market rates for these products. We do not accept consulting fees, equity, royalties, or speaker honoraria from cell product manufacturers, device manufacturers, or pharmaceutical companies whose products we use in clinical care. If this changes, we will update this disclosure.
Referral relationships. Apex does not pay or receive referral fees of any kind. We refer patients to other physicians (orthopedic surgeons, primary care, rheumatologists, mental health clinicians, etc.) based on clinical fit; the receiving physicians refer patients to us on the same basis. No financial relationship modifies either direction of referral.
Insurance and billing. Apex does not bill commercial insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid for regenerative procedures, because these procedures are not currently covered services. We provide superbills for HSA/FSA reimbursement and for patient records. We may bill insurance for imaging and laboratory services performed under medical necessity; in those cases, standard insurance billing practices apply.
FDA regulatory position
Cellular products. Apex uses allogeneic, umbilical-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and MSC-derived exosomes from FDA-registered tissue establishments. These products operate under the 21 CFR 1271 framework, specifically under the 361 HCT/P pathway (minimally manipulated, intended for homologous use, from screened donor sources). No cellular product used at Apex has FDA drug approval, because no such approval currently exists for orthopedic stem cell injection. We can document the regulatory pathway and the processor for any product used in your care.
Other products. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous, point-of-care product processed from your own blood at the time of procedure. PRP processing kits used at Apex are FDA-cleared as medical devices. PRP itself does not require FDA drug approval, as it is patient-derived and processed minimally within the clinical encounter.
Ketamine. Ketamine is FDA-approved as an anesthetic. Subanesthetic IV ketamine for depression and chronic pain is an off-label use with substantial published clinical support but is not FDA-approved for these indications. Esketamine (Spravato) is the FDA-approved formulation specifically for treatment-resistant depression. We discuss the regulatory status with every ketamine patient before initiating treatment.
Marketing claims. We do not market any of our protocols as "FDA-approved" for the indications we treat. We describe the regulatory framework accurately in our patient education materials and consent documents. If you encounter any marketing material from Apex that overstates regulatory status, please tell us; that's a mistake we want to correct.
For a fuller discussion of the FDA regulatory landscape, see our FDA-approval guide.
Scope of practice
Conditions we treat. Apex treats orthopedic indications (knee, shoulder, hip, spine, tendon, soft tissue) where the published evidence supports a regenerative approach; treatment-resistant depression and PTSD with subanesthetic IV ketamine; complex regional pain syndrome and certain chronic pain syndromes with ketamine; and a small number of other indications where the clinical evidence supports a defensible protocol.
Conditions we do not treat. We do not offer:
- Cellular therapy for neurodegenerative disease (ALS, MS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's) outside of registered clinical trials
- Pediatric cellular therapy for autism spectrum disorder
- "Wellness" or "longevity" IV stem cell or exosome drips for healthy patients without a documented medical indication
- Cellular therapy as a substitute for surgical intervention in end-stage osteoarthritis or unstable joint conditions
- At-home or unsupervised ketamine programs
Patients with systemic conditions — inflammatory, metabolic, or autoimmune — are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We coordinate with the appropriate specialist before recommending or declining a regenerative protocol, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all answer.
If you've been told by another clinic that Apex offers any of these and want clarification, please call.
Operator qualifications. Procedures at Apex are performed by Dr. Farhan Abdullah, DO. Mid-level providers may assist with intake, education, and follow-up but do not perform image-guided injections without direct physician supervision and credentialing in the specific procedure.
Patient rights
Right to a written treatment plan. Every patient who receives a treatment recommendation at Apex receives a written plan documenting the diagnosis, the recommended protocol, the expected outcome, the cost, and the criteria for success and failure. You take this home before deciding.
Right to informed consent. Every procedure at Apex requires a signed informed consent document that describes the procedure, the realistic expected outcomes, the specific risks, and the alternatives. We do not use consent language that promises results or that broadly disclaims all responsibility regardless of negligence.
Right to second opinion. You can take your records and imaging to another clinic for a second opinion at any time, and we will provide a complete records release without obstruction or delay. We welcome credible second opinions and benefit from them.
Right to decline treatment. You can decline any recommended treatment at any point, without explanation. We do not retain consultation fees for treatments declined.
Right to honest pricing. Pricing for treatments recommended to you will be documented in writing during the consultation. The price you see in writing is the price you pay. We do not add charges at the procedure visit, do not run "today-only" discounts that pressure same-day decisions, and do not sell memberships that obscure per-procedure pricing.
Right to access your records. You can request a copy of your complete medical record from Apex at any time. Standard records requests are typically processed within 5 business days.
Right to honest outcome reporting. We track outcomes for our patients and incorporate the data into how we describe expected results to new patients. If a protocol's response rate is lower than we'd previously communicated, we update our patient education materials accordingly.
No-cure statement
No Apex protocol is offered as a guaranteed cure for any condition. Regenerative medicine, ketamine therapy, and adjunctive modalities can produce meaningful and sometimes substantial benefit for the right patient and indication. They do not cure osteoarthritis, do not regrow worn-out joints into new ones, do not eliminate depression in every patient, and do not produce universal responses.
Our consent documents, patient education materials, and clinical communications describe realistic expected outcomes based on the published evidence and our clinical experience. We will tell you in writing what the expected response rate is for your specific indication, and we will not promise results.
If you encounter language from Apex anywhere (website, marketing material, social media, staff communication) that suggests a guaranteed cure, please tell us. That's a mistake we want to correct.
Adverse event reporting
We track adverse events for every patient who receives a procedure at Apex. Common, expected events (transient post-injection soreness, mild bruising, brief inflammatory flare) are documented in your chart. Unusual or serious events trigger:
- Immediate clinical evaluation and management
- Documentation in your chart
- Reporting to the cell product manufacturer when relevant (so they can update their lot tracking)
- Reporting to the FDA's MedWatch system when applicable
- Internal review of whether protocol or process changes are warranted
If you've experienced an adverse event from a procedure at Apex, please contact us. We want to know.
Privacy and HIPAA
Apex complies with HIPAA privacy and security requirements. Your protected health information is handled in accordance with federal and Texas state law. Our Notice of Privacy Practices is available at the clinic and on this website.
We do not sell patient information. We do not share your data with marketing partners. We do not use your records for purposes outside of your care and clinic operations without your specific consent.
Telehealth and digital communication
We offer telehealth follow-up visits for established patients, particularly for out-of-state patients. Telehealth visits are subject to the same HIPAA protections as in-person visits.
Patient communications via our patient portal are encrypted and HIPAA-compliant. We do not communicate protected health information via standard email or text unless you have specifically authorized that channel.
Outcomes commitment
We are committed to honest outcome tracking and reporting. We document patient outcomes using validated instruments (pain scores, function scores like WOMAC and KOOS, patient global impression of change). We aggregate outcomes data internally to refine our protocols and to improve our patient counseling. We do not selectively report positive results or omit non-responders from our internal data.
Our patient counseling reflects the response rates and effect sizes seen in our practice, not idealized rates drawn from selective studies. If our data diverges from the published literature, we update our counseling.
Disclosures about this website
This site is published by Apex Regenerative Institute and reflects our current clinical positions and practice. The information is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice for any specific patient. Personal medical decisions should be made in consultation with a qualified physician who has reviewed your specific case.
Author of record on guides and posts is Dr. Farhan Abdullah, DO unless otherwise noted. Content is reviewed and dated. We update content as the evidence base evolves; "updated" dates on individual pages reflect the most recent meaningful revision.
External links are provided for reference. Apex is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Contact for questions
For questions about this page, our regulatory position, our financial disclosures, or any other transparency-related matter: call (972) 768-2328 or use the contact form on the /visit page.
For complaints about practice or care: please contact us directly first so we have the opportunity to address your concerns. Patients also have the right to file complaints with the Texas Medical Board at tmb.state.tx.us, the FDA via MedWatch, and other regulatory authorities as applicable.
A short note from Dr. Abdullah
Disclosures and transparency statements get short shrift in medical practice generally and in regenerative medicine specifically. We think that's a mistake. Patients who can verify what we say tend to trust what we say. Patients who can see how we make decisions tend to make better decisions of their own. This page is the longer version of "here's how we operate, and here's how you can hold us to it." If you have questions about any part of it, please ask.
Last updated: May 2026.