“Latest Stem Cells News”

Neurodegenerative conditions are, at this point, diseases that cannot be treated, and that progress until they finally claim the lives of their victims. They include such awful disorders as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s, whose effects on the human brain can, at this point, only be postponed and alleviated, but not prevented or treated. Now, a new type of treatment, relying heavily on the power of stem cells, may offer a ray of hope to people suffering from these diseases.

In lab tests, researchers injected stem cells into the brain of animal models. The cells were harvested from the animals’ own spinal cords, and only the mesenchymal variety was used. Once inside, the cells proved to be able to identify the damaged neural tissue, move to it, and then started acting locally to repair the damage. While the experts recognize the fact that further studies to test the effects of this treatment are still in order, they are happy to announce that the stem cells managed to halt neural deterioration, and also that they showed signs of trying to revert the affected tissue back to its original function.

“By monitoring the motion of these cells, you get information about how viable they are, and how they can benefit the tissue. We have been able to prove that these stem cells travel within the brain, and only travel where they are needed. They read the chemical signaling of the tissue, which indicate[s] areas of stress. And then they go and try to repair the situation,” Tel Aviv university School of Chemistry Professor Dr. Yoram Cohen explains. He has been the leader of the team that made the discovery, and also an author of a paper detailing the finds, published in the latest issue of the journal Stem Cells.

After injecting the animals with the cells, the team watched their effects via Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), where the stem cells appeared as little, black dots. Each of the cells was individually tagged with iron oxide nanoparticles, so as to show up on the monitors. “Cells that go toward a certain position that needs to be rescued are the best indirect proof that they are live and viable. If they can migrate towards the target, they are alive and can read chemical signaling,” Cohen says, quoted by e! Science News.

from Softpedia

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Look what we have here- another stem cell research trial for heart disease (congestive heart failure) and another heart patient has his life improved. This time, at the University of Louisville, the first heart failure patient treated with his own Adult Stem Cells has improved already, just 2 week after his stem cell treatment.

Adult Stem Cells Result in 30% Improvement

Michael Jones, a contractor in Louisville, was the first congestive heart failure patient to take part in this stem cell research trial. Here is more from the stem cell article:

His severe congestive heart failure was treated with the stem cell treatment. The procedure involved injecting his own cardiac stem cells into his damaged heart muscle. It was done on July 17. He shows already had 20-30% improvement of his heart function since the treatment.

Congestive Heart Failure Kills Millions Every Year- US Does Nothing

Heart failure is a leading cause of death in the United States, affecting some 6 million Americans a year. Half of the patients die within one year. Doctors have had little to offer patients with late-stage heart failure. With major muscle damage to the heart, patients have the option of a heart transplant or implantation of a mechanically assisted heart device.

What About The Millions Who Can’t Get Stem Cell Treatment?

This is good news right? Well yes and no. Yes, I am happy for Michael Jones as he is a lucky man to receive stem cell treatment using his own adult stem cells and unsurprisingly it has worked.

No, because what about the other millions of Americans who aren’t able to receive this stem cell treatment. The Fight Aging Website has a post on this:

It is only in the last couple of years that clinical trials have started for autologous stem cell therapies in the US. Or, to put it another way, for some time now unelected and largely unaccountable employees of the US government have forbidden US residents – on pain of criminal prosecution – from offering or making their own decisions about a medical technology commercially available elsewhere in the world. All the while, these bureaucrats impose vast costs on medical development concerns by insisting on largely pointless trials, continuing far past any reasonable trade-off between risk and reward, thereby greatly postponing the commerical introduction of these technologies in the US.

Do you have responsibility for, or even the ability to make your own medical choices? Not according to people in positions of power at the FDA. Regulation in medicine has largely become an exercise undertaken for its own sake, as is the end result of any centralization of power. No-one’s interests are being served save for those of the career bureaucrats in charge of forbidding new things. Everyone else gets to suffer due to the ball and chain shackled to medical progress, and due to being forbidden the basic, fundamental freedom to choose how to treat their own medical conditions.

Now ask yourself, why can’t anyone with heart disease and the necessary funds just up and do the research on the treatment and choose to try this within the borders of the US? Because a faceless bureaucrat has decided that it is forbidden, and that anyone who offers this treatment must be jailed. Welcome to the land of the free.

This is similar to what I argued here in this stem cell research post

Stem Cell Treatment Information

For treatment information, please fill out this stem cell treatment form- and one of the Repair Stem Cell Institute’s staff will provide you with more information – free.

For full information, write me at donmargolis@gmail.com and just put “Treatment”  in the subject box. Or, if you want to start the process to treat a loved one now, fill out this stem cell treatment form and one of the Repair Stem Cell Institute’s staff will provide you with all the help you need -free.

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In a new stem cell research study presented at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) annual meeting last week, a dermatologist presented a new clinical research study in which children with Alopecia Areata were treated for baldness with their own Adult Stem Cells.

Adult Stem Cells for Alopecia Areata

Dr. Marwa Fawzi, a dermatologist at the University of Cairo, treated 8 children who were suffering from Alopecia Areata and thus were balding. Alopecia Areata is a condition that causes hair loss and can happen at any age. People (children and adults alike) with this condition are often teased and shunned and many have low self esteem.

Process of Stem Cells for Baldness

1. Small amounts of skin were removed from the scalps of the children
2. The hair follicle stem cells that stimulate hair growth were isolated and then multiplied in a lab
3. After one month, the children’s own Adult Stem Cells were injected back into their scalps where the baldness was occurring.

Stem Cell Research Results

6 months after the stem cell treatment, 5 of the 8 children had at least a 50% increase in the amount of hair on their heads.
2 of the children had a small increase in the amount of hair and 1 child had no change.
Not bad for a simple procedure with no side effects or down side.

From the stem cell article:

She also took new skin samples and examined the hair follicles themselves and could see that the injected stem cells had migrated into the follicles. There, the stem cells stimulated the follicles to transition from a dormant phase to a hair-generating phase, Fawzi said.

In a poster that she presented at the meeting, she showed photographs of an 8-year-old boy named Mahmoud who was almost completely bald before the treatment and had a nearly full head of hair afterward.

Mahmoud was socially isolated before and always wore a hat to hide his baldness, she said. He now calls her almost every day to talk and thank her for the treatment.

Adult Stem Cells- improving more lives each day.

A similar stem cell research study for Alopecia Areata in adults is also going on in the United States now too.  Hopefully, we can expand this into treating male pattern baldness as well.  Why not?

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New Jersey resident, Michael George feels “reborn” after having his own adult stem cells implanted in him to treat his scleroderma in a new stem cell treatment.  Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease which is mostly known as a skin disorder, but in it’s worst form, also attacks the internal organs of the patient.

Quality of Life Improved After Adult Stem Cell Therapy- No Restrictions

The stem cell therapy took place a little over 1 year ago on March 13th, 2008.  Since then, Michael has improved so much that doctors have removed all restrictions on Michael’s life so he can do anything he wants.

Stem Cell Therapy at Northwestern

The adult stem cells were implanted at Northwestern University in Chicago where presumably our American hero, Dr. Richard Burt was behind the scenes.

From the stem cell article:

The night he returned to Perth Amboy, George remembers being able to bend down to pick up the luggage from the trunk of the cab. These days his knees are giving him some trouble when he bends due to arthritis.

George said the procedure didn’t cure him, but it stopped the disease and reverses it to a certain extent.

“In April the doctor said “are you sure I didn’t give you a lung transplant, instead of a stem cell transplant,” he said, noting both his lungs and heart are now in good condition.

Michael followed in the footsteps of Bari Martz who also went to Northwestern for stem cell treatment for her scleroderma.  Martz also had great success with the adult stem cells-   For now, “I’m great,” she says. Her lung function jumped and is still improving, she can flex her hands again, and can even climb stairs, if slowly. “I’m continuing to get better.”

Stem Cell Treatment Isn’t Cheap in United States

A lot of overseas stem cell companies take a lot of flack for charging patients usually in the range of $20,000-30,000 dollar for the adult stem cell therapy that can improve patients’ lives.  However, we find out that stem cell treatment in the US isn’t cheap either at over $200,000 for an “experimental” treatment:

George said he really appreciates life and everyone at his church, the school district and city who wrote or e-mailed him and contributed toward his medical expenses, which were more than $200,000.

I don’t want money to be the main issue, as the important thing is Michael did improve his quality of life and you can’t put a price tag on that. However, those overseas stem cell therapy companies don’t look so bad after all when you compare them to the $200,000 + for adult stem cells in the United States for similar “unproven” treatments.

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Today, Tammy Henderson is riding her bicycle on the road, but less than 2 years ago, Tammy was on the road to a heart transplant after suffering a major heart attack back in 2001. Things changed after Tammy received Vescell stem cell treatment using her own Adult Stem Cells in Thailand in April 2008 to help heal her heart muscle.

From the stem cell article:

My doctor fully believes this is working,” said Henderson. “My echo showed at least a 5 percent improvement in ejection fraction — how well the heart pumps — and my heart shrunk by 3 mm, which is terrific. Usually, the heart enlarges as it gets worse.”

“My oxygen level went up three points. I have been feeling really great, and I’m back to bike riding and walking,” she added.

Her Sister Thrilled With Stem Cell Treatment for Heart Muscle

Tammy went to Vescell stem cell therapy and her sister Kelly Moyer is happy she did:

the improvements “are exactly what we hoped for,”

“In April, her family and I walked the Kensington Park path — 8.5 miles — that includes many hills, I was very impressed with her strength,” Moyer said. “A couple of years ago I would have never thought that kind of experience would be possible. Her heart is getting smaller and pumping better, clear medical signs of improvement. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Adult Stem Cells Helped Her Sinuses Too

While her heart has shown signs of healing, Henderson said she has been cured of chronic sinusitis. She use to spend $25 month for Zyrtec, but stop taking it in April 2008.

“I have not had a sinus infection since then,” she said. “I think the stem cells took care of it. That’s a major extra plus.”

California Dreaming in Michigan

Moyer hopes that some day the stem cell therapy will be available in the United States. Her sister said there’s a possibility it could be done at Henry Ford within a year.

“I pray that this treatment will be available in the U.S. as soon as possible,” Moyer said. “For someone sick to have to travel around the world for treatment is just absurd, especially living in the U.S. We live in the best country in the world, it doesn’t seem right.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

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Recent stem cell research studies using Adult Stem Cells to treat heart diseases such as congestive heart failure and heart attacks have made the news recently.  And on the surface, these adult stem cell success stories of heart attack victims making amazing recoveries in these research clinical trials is wonderful news indeed.

New Research Trials for Heart Attack Victims

For example, at the Texas Heart Institute, John Hartman who had suffered a heart attack recently had his own stem cells implanted into his heart muscle in a new stem cell research trial.

From the stem cell article:

Dr. Jim Willerson President, Texas Heart Institute, said, “We think the improvement we see is largely from the blood flow increase salvaging the cells that are reversibly injured, allowing them to function normally.”

“That reflects in the patient being able to do better, walk further, breathe better,” said Dr. Emerson Perin St Luke’s, THI Cardiologist.

Stem Cell Trial for Congestive Heart Failure

Also, in another stem cell research trial at Vanderbilt, an unnamed 65 year old congestive heart failure patient was treated using his own Adult Stem Cells again.   Dr. David Zhao, director of the cath lab there said “The patients who stand to benefit from this approach include those whose coronary arteries are so diseased that nothing else could be done,”

What About Heart Disease Patients Who Can’t Get Adult Stem Cells?

However, the headlines don’t mention the millions who are suffering and dying after having heart attacks (1.25 million per year in the United States) and are in congestive heart failure and don’t have the opportunity to receive adult stem cell treatment because the FDA has classified a patient’s own stem cells as a drug- thus slowing down progress and starving heart patients of a “drug” with no side effects or ethical issues and only has upside.

For every Barry Brown or Kenneth Milles, heart attack victims who were lucky enough to get into a US stem cell research clinical trial using their own stem cells, there are millions of heart disease patients who do not have that opportunity. And for that, we have the FDA to blame.

And that is only addressing adult stem cell therapy for heart disease………what about the hundreds of other conditions that can be helped or improved by Adult Stem Cells?

Sad.

For more information on clinical research trials in the United States, go to the Clinical Trials website – www.clinicaltrials.gov

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