Stem cell surgery

[Alastair]

Folks, -- - -It has just been announced that The National Hospital for Neurology in London that has been doing research on stem cell surgery to repair spinal cords, will now be offering this to the general public in 2006. The stem cells are taken from inside the patient's nose.

Also they are using stem cell surgery at the same hospital to help people who have been in accidents to recover their sight. The stem cells in this instance are taken from the surrounding tissue of the eye. There are some very dramatic and heart rending stories on that particular subject at the moment in our press.

I hope this is announced in America soon, and in every country in the world that this new technology will be available to everybody.

I'm so excited, this looks like a big step forward on a scientific front at long last.
Best,
Alastair

[Harrison]

Cool stuff, especially if you are a Woody Allen "Sleeper" fan.

Jokes aside, I fear trials for spinal discs are many, many, many years away.

[Fortitudine]

Fascinating stuff Alastair, can you give us a website to look at?

Alastair,
Thanks for posting this info! Hope is a great motivator and this research is certainly creating hope for many!

Any info you can cut and paste?

Thanks for sharing!

[Alastair]

A link here worldwide
http://www.stemcellresearchnews.com/Stem_Cell_News.htm


A story here which was on TV with the UK patient this week They are growing spine discs in Manchester UK and have been doing this for over a year. I am unable to get information from them unfortunately as a member of the public. I am sure there are many other countries doing this, but no one has revealed so far except these people in Holland the outcome. There is a patient somewhere in the USA who had a 1 cm gap in the spinal cord, they had stem cells inserted in Portugal (for legal reasons) and having been paralysed from the waist downwards they were shown walking with a Zimmer frame -- -- that is about 12 months ago. The stem cells reconnected up the spinal cord of this patient.

It was also discussed last night, why umbilical cords are not used but tissue from up the patients nose. It would seem that the nasal area is the only area in the body where the nerves regenerate themselves.



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Last Updated: Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 15:34 GMT

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Stem cell therapy helps MS woman

Amanda said the treatment showed almost instant benefits
A young Inverness woman with multiple sclerosis has said she is able to walk for the first time in years only days after revolutionary stem cell therapy.
Amanda Bryson paid �12,000 for a course of injections in the Netherlands, which she believes could cure her.

She has now called on the UK Government to make the treatment available here, but it said more research was needed.

Multiple sclerosis attacks the nervous system, causing loss of balance, reduced vision and localised paralysis.

Ms Bryson was diagnosed with the condition five years ago and has been almost totally wheelchair-bound.

She read an article about stem cell treatment for her condition, unavailable in the UK, which was being carried out by a US company, Advanced Cell Therapeutics, in Rotterdam.

The process, which she underwent last Friday, only took a few hours.

It just filled me with hope for the future

Amanda Bryson

She said: "Within 10 minutes after the treatment I went to the bathroom on my wheelchair, I went to stand up and I thought I was jumping off my chair.

"It felt absolutely fantastic, brilliant.

"I thought at first 'this is in my mind', but I spoke to the nurse who told me it happens, they've seen it happen plenty of times.

"That's the moment where it just filled me with hope for the future."

She added that to date the treatment, using newborn babies' umbilical cords, had not hurt anyone.

She said: "It should be available to patients through their own choice, it's pretty upsetting that it won't be in this country for probably another 20 years."


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[annapurna]

I'm not sure that trials for stem cell spinal technology would necessarily be that far away. Stem cell technology has already been used in a similar application to repair circumscribed arthritic lesions in knees for almost ten years now. The big trick would be to show that the "growth" cells don't migrate and start growing disc material in the middle of nerve channels or something, and lots of work is already underway for that.

In any case, insurance and other health care reforms in the US may really increase demand for and rate of implementation of new technology. Things like medical savings accounts and other laws are putting more health care dollars in the control of citizens rather than insurance companies. I imagine that most citizens are going to be willing to spend those dollars on technology that can get them back to work and life. Where there are dollars to spend, technology will follow more quickly.

Okay, maybe I'm in an overly optimistic mood, but, approvals do seem to be coming a bit faster now with more "humanitarian use" permits, etc.

Best,
Laura

[Alastair]

The UK have just announced an ADDITIONAL �50 Million into the research project today

[Poncho]

Alastair,

Thank-you so much for sharing this with us - this seems sooooo promising for so many people ailing from chronic health problems. I am going to forward this info to some friends that can use it.

I think that stem cell research is a wonderful thing - however, as far as stem cells being FDA approved to treat the masses here in the US - I can definitely see many delays. One of which would be conflict of interest among "stakeholders" in the healthcare industry.

Say for instance that stem cells can regenerate pancreatic cells to produce insulin - thus eliminating the need for insulin and diabetic supplies et al. Diabetes is a growing epidemic here in the US causing problems not only related to blood sugar - but a whole host of other problems too (kidney problems, diabetic neuropathy, heart problems et al). Diabetes care in the US is BIG business for drug companies and medical device companies. If stem cell therapy becomes --- say a cure for diabetes - a whole industry related this area of healthcare will be significantly decreased or has a great potential to be wiped out. Thus, I can see stakeholders in this market lobbying against something so promising for so many.

Of course the same concept applies to the spine and health care issues related to the spine - medical devices (hardware), medications, pain management, et al...

I can see US advances in research in regarding stem cells in the near future - however, the timeline of getting FDA approval is a different story in my cynical mind.

What I forecast is history repeating itself....Americans going abroad and paying out of pocket for stem cell therapy in the interim of FDA approval for this. - Just as many of us have done or are currently doing with ADR...

Just my 2 cents.

Sy,
Poncho

[Alastair]

Hi Poncho,
I'm sure you're right about the USA. The UK will be a different situation because almost everybody is in the state health system so it will take a big burden from that and the taxpayer. This has worked with pancreatic cells as you suggest. It's very much watch this space. The story that I left up on the previous postings -- -- -- that lady had to go to Holland for her stem cell treatment. It's a bit like us going to Germany for our ADR -- -- -- I'm sure it'll all come round in time.
Best,
Alastair

[ans]

There is so much happening but I don't know the efficacy of the stem cell promise. I heard from a high-end scientist that there are serious implementation concerns, e.g. how to put a "stop" signal to growing cells, and more.

But for fun, I Googled around and thought the idea of using nose cells to replace damaged nerves to be neat. Also, with taking of cells from one's own bone marrow - and from cord blood, there is little ground for moralists to stand on imo.

E.g. http://tinyurl.com/93rht

Allan