If you do a Google search on the term “stem cells”, you will get more than 9 million tickets (September 2010)! Many refer to the definition of the term that the NIH defines (in part) as cells that “have the remarkable potential to develop into many different types of cells in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a kind of internal repair system, dividing essentially endlessly to replenish other cells while the person or animal is still alive When one divides, each new cell has the potential to remain as it is or become another a type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, red blood cell, or brain cell.
Few readers of this have not read or heard something about the controversy surrounding the use of stem cells taken from embryos (“embryonic stem cells”). But what about other primitive cells? That is, the cells found in umbilical cords and umbilical cord blood, placentas, bone marrow, peripheral blood, fat, and a host of other tissues, including teeth and even menstrual blood.
Not surprisingly, very little or no opposition can be found to the use of these. In fact, the number of studies and uses of these cells has multiplied and a large percentage of these have shown that they are safe and effective in terms of facilitating body repair and restoration. Additionally, many have been approved for some medical conditions such as leukemia. But its use has not yet received official approval to treat diseases such as multiple sclerosis, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), cerebral palsy and others. There are clinical trials being recruited or in progress regarding some of these, but it will likely be many years before the FDA approves, for example, cells derived from umbilical cord blood to treat cerebral palsy.
People with diseases such as those mentioned above who wish to be treated with this type of cells must currently travel to countries that allow it, such as China, Mexico, Thailand and Ukraine. As these clinics are not always transparent, it can be “take it any way” when it comes to arranging safe and effective treatment. However, there is at least one alternative to this here in the United States: namely, clinics whose doctors extract bone marrow from patients’ own bodies and then return it to them via injection or intravenous (IV) drip. This particular approach is legal as it does not violate the rules set forth by the FDA that govern this.
How do you find a clinic in the US that offers this type of treatment? A simple web search using the key phrase “autologous stem cell treatment programs” will quickly bring up many of these.
Ultimately, the power of these adult cells has been realized, at least partially, and by virtue of this has given us a foretaste of what is to come.