“Latest Stem Cells News”

It has been about 3 months since I last updated you on Preston Walker and Richard Humphries, the two Multiple Sclerosis Stem Cell Research pioneers who received their own Adult Stem Cells to improve their MS.

Since then, both have returned to Costa Rica to receive a second helping of their own Adult Stem Cells- a second stem cell therapy.   Let’s check in with their stem cell blog and see what they have to say.

Update from Stem Cell Research Blog

First is this July 7th post from adult stem cell recipient, Preston “An Energetic Day“-

I am not sure how to describe what happened today other than that I have a LOAD OF ENERGY!!

To let everyone understand this, I documented today’s events in the following information:

I invited my son to a bike ride. We rode twenty miles and returned home. Instead of wanting to sleep, I started looking for other things to do!! I found that my lawnmower needed the rear wheel removed and replaced.

It was quite a day of doing little things, but it would have been very taxing several weeks ago.

It’s now 9:00 p.m. and I am still full of energy!! There is only one reason for this turn of events. It is God’s good grace through the injection of ADULT STEM CELLS. GO STEM CELLS GO!!

In Him, Preston

Adult Stem Cells Enable Multiple Sclerosis Patient to Deal With the Heat

And this is from Richard Humphries, MS patient treated with Adult Stem Cells Twice:

June 30, 2009
Dealing with the heat

Heat intolerence is associated with every MS patient. With the heat we are having all of us have this intolerance.

This week in Wichita Falls I was in the 100-degree heat for over 8 hours on back to back days. This was not even possible after the first stem cell treatment but after a 4-month regeneration from the second stem cell treatment, not only is it possible but reality.

Even Dr. Thomas Ichim, a stem cell expert from the University of California-San Diego is in amazement.

I just keep getting blessed.

Richard

Richard of course was Case Study #1 in a recently published stem cell research clinical paper.  And I’m not sure, but  I believe Preston was involved in the research paper as well (either Case Study 2 or 3)

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In a bold move that is sure to shake the foundations of the United States FDA, a group of American doctors have published a set of strict clinical guidelines that will allow US doctors to treat patients with their own Adult Stem Cells.

Your Own Stem Cells Are Not a Drug

This move by the American Stem Cell Therapy Association comes in response to the FDA’s position that a person’s own stem cells should be classified as a drug, thus subject to the exact same set of standards that a drug like Viagra or Lipitor or Vioxx would be examined under.

However, these US doctors are correct in believing that adult stem cell therapy with the patient’s own cells is governed under the practice of medicine, not under drug production guidelines.

From the stem cell press release:

Adult stem cells can be processed with the same techniques commonly used in existing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) labs. “Like the human cells and tissue used in IVF, adult stem cells are not drugs,” stated Christopher J. Centeno, M.D., a physician who worked on the guidelines and whose medical practice includes the use of the Regenexx procedure, which uses patients own stem cells to treat orthopedic conditions.

Slowing Progress, Costing Lives- the US FDA at Work

“Making the stem cells in your own body a drug won’t make them safer, will dramatically reduce availability of treatment, and will increase bureaucratic red tape.” stated Dr. Centeno.

Dr. Centeno is absolutely right.  These are your own cells and having the FDA regulate your own body won’t be helping anybody as there is no downside to having your own stem cells implanted.

Let me repeat that- there is no downside to having your own Adult Stem Cells implanted. Either they will help you or they won’t (no effect).  This has been proven in thousands of studies.

Your own stem cells should be an extra tool your doctor should be able to use to help you.  No, adult stem cells are not a cure yet, but they do help in the majority of cases.

Again, your own stem cells should be a tool in your responsible doctor’s tool kit that may or may not be able to help, but should be made available to you as there is no downside.  What does the patient have to lose?  A man in end stage heart failure about to die- give him his own stem cells, they should help. He may not be beating Husain Bolt in a 100 meter sprint, but should improve.  A spinal cord injury victim, give him his own stem cells, they should help.  He/she may not be walking, but it could be beneficial in some ways.  A diabetic, give him his own stem cells- they should improve his insulin levels. And if your own stem cells don’t help- there is no harm done- thousands of studies have proven this.

And what if your own Adult Stem Cells work only 5% of the time for a particular lethal disease and your doctor wants to try to save your life? Hey! It will save 5% more than zero. With no downside, why not? And if the FDA has its way, that 5% will be 0. It is up to all of us to make a stand. And these clinical guidelines are the first step.

If you are a patient of any kind and reading this, I urge you to go to Safe Stem Cells Now, a patient run organization demanding the use of their own stem cells.

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In a stem cell research trial that isn’t getting enough news, liver patients are now being treated with their own Adult Stem Cells at Hammersmith Hospital in London, England. They have treated more than 30 patients now with “good results.” This is good news for those liver patients facing a transplant (and death).

I covered this stem cell story back in September 2008, and since then it seems they have treated more liver patients with their own stem cells with more good results. This excerpt is from the most recent stem cell article:

The stem cells help to grow new liver cells so that a damaged liver can begin to function normally again.

The team, which is based at London’s Hammersmith Hospital, has used the technique on around 30 patients so far with good results. They hope the treatment will become mainstream within three to five years.

It involves taking blood from patients, removing stem cells that circulate in the bloodstream and multiplying them in a laboratory. They are infused back into the liver via a main artery where they continue to multiply as liver cells.

The technique, which is undergoing trials, could revolutionise treatment of patients with liver failure. At present there is no method of keeping them alive as there is with kidney disease.

The Original Is Always Better Than the Sequel

However, the original post back in September 2008, had more details about this new stem cell treatment:

Administering autologous expanded mobilized adult progenitor CD34+ cells into the hepatic artery of patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) leads to considerable benefit, researchers report in the September issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

“We are encouraged that the majority of patients in this study experienced a significant improvement in their liver functions,” senior investigator Dr. Nagy A. Habib told Reuters Health.

Dr. Habib of Imperial College, London, and colleagues studied nine ALC patients who had been abstinent for at least 6 months. The patients underwent granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mobilization and leukapheresis. Autologous CD34+ cells were then expanded in vitro by an average of 5 times and injected into the hepatic artery.

All patients tolerated the procedure well and over 12 weeks of follow-up there were significant decreases in serum bilirubin. A significant reduction in levels of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase was seen 1 week after the transfusion and showed improvement through the study period.

Seven of the patients showed an improvement in Child-Pugh scores, and on imaging at 12 weeks, three patients showed a complete resolution of ascites and two had a significant reduction.

Stem Cell Therapy for Liver- Faster Please

This is fantastic news for cirrhosis patients, as well as Hepatitis C patients.  However, once again, the stem cell therapy isn’t getting to the patient fast enough.  The stem cell research trial seems to have been going on for more than 1 year, yet only 30 liver patients have been treated.  Think about all those liver patients who can probably be improved by this and safe as well- nothing to lose.

(original post by Don Margolis)

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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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As we are gearing up for the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) annual meeting this week in Barcelona, Dr. Fernandez Vina has provided us with results from his stem cell research clinical study using Adult Stem Cells for the lung diseases COPD and Emphysema.

Last week, I posted on Dr. Fernandez Vina’s process of treating COPD and emphysema patients. Therefore, this week I can share his results of patients treated with their own Adult Stem Cells in his research study.

IMPROVEMENT OF COPD AND EMPHYSEMA WITH AMINISTRATION OF UNFRACTIONS AUTOLOGOUS BONE MARROW ( WORLD PIONEER EXPERIENCE FROM ARGENTINA)

The Stem Cell Doctors

Author Block: R. J. Fernandez Vina1,2, J. Saslvsky3, J. Ferrerira da Silva Lima4, O. Andrin1, F. Fernandez Vina1, F. Vrsalovic1, L. Camozzi1, L. Vazquez Sosa5, M. Saslavsky6;
1San Nicolas Clinic FernandezVina Foundation, San Nicolas (Buenos Aires), ARGENTINA, 2Maimonides University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA, 3Medicine School University of Rosario Argentina, Rosario, ARGENTINA, 4San Nicolas Clinic Fernandez Vina Foundation, San Nicolas (Buenos Aires), ARGENTINA, 5Hospital de la Mujer, El Salvador, EL SALVADOR, 6San Nicolas Clinic & Hospital, San Nicolas, ARGENTINA.

The Goal of the Stem Cell Research Study

Objectives: To present the first reports and follow up from Argentina of 33 patients, that carry severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and Emphysema treated with Autologous Bone Marrow stem cells.

All patients have smoking history for 30-40 years, quit smoking for at least 6 years. Using oxygen 2 lpm 24/7, Ipratropium, nebulizaded Salbuterol , prednisone. Grade III-IV short of breath.

Before Stem Cell Therapy

Laboratory Data:  (Before Adult Stem Cell Treatment)

Forced vital capacity: 0.5 l (12%), VEF1: 0,30 l (10%) y 0,42 l (13%) post-bronchiodilator, FEF 25-75: 0,14 l/sec(8%), MVV: 11 l/min(10%); TLC: 2.90 l/min (46%), Diffusion Capacity: 10.2 ml/mmHg/min (64%).

The patients were submitted in a procedure to extract 600 ml of bone marrow, that presented: Total cells 9184 x10p6/ ml, Total mononuclears 3218 x10p6/ml, CD34+: 4,8 x10p6/ml, CD34+CD38-: 0,72 x10p6/ml. Using IV infusion, in a rhythm of infusion of 300 ml/h .

The Results of the Adult Stem Cells for COPD and Emphysema Research Study

Evolution and Results: After 60 days of the procedure all the patients were submitted to clinical and laboratorial controls, which presented: Saturation 95-97% in room air, while exercising, free of oxygen. Dispnea Grade 2, decreased of the required medication to 1 Salbuterol nebulization per day in all cases and 12 of them with 1 doses of Ipratropio per day, All patients decreased the doses of prednisone and finally quit with this medication totally.

Laboratory data: Forced Vital Capacity: 1,94 l , VEF1: 0,69 l y 0,88 l, FEV25-79: 0,38 l/sec, MVV: 58 l/min, TLC is normal, Diffusion Capacity is Normal.

Did the Adult Stem Cells Work?

Conclusions: The autologous adult stem cell from Unfractions Autologous Bone Marrow implanted in lung improved the pulmonary function in patients with terminal lung diseases.

Other Stem Cell Research Studies from Dr. Fernandez Vina

You may also be interested in Dr. Fernandez Vina’s results when he treated Diabetes Type 2 patients with their own Adult Stem Cells.  See the Stem Cell for Diabetes Type 2 Research Study here.

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Barbro Lowed, a retired air hostess from London, England says that stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells removed from her bone marrow has given her her life back.  Barbro had previously been suffering from congestive heart failure before the stem cell treatment. The heart failure was caused by a faulty valve.

This research story starts with Barbro going into congestive heart failure because of a leaky heart valve.  Then in Barbro’s own words -

Unless it was repaired, my heart would steadily worsen, until it couldn’t function any more. Even though I needed the operation straight away, the NHS waiting list was two years, which really worried me.

After six months, with no sign of an operation date, I was getting desperate. I felt dizzy and lethargic all the time and couldn’t even walk to the local shops without struggling for breath.

When Free Health Care Isn’t Free Anymore

Ok, I will give the US FDA a day off and target Socialist (Free?) Healthcare today. Can you imagine needing an operation yesterday and having to wait 2 years?  That is shameful.   And this is what Obama has in mind for us? I hope not. But no more ranting- on with the stem cell story….

Finding A Stem Cell Doctor Who Used Her Own Adult Stem Cells

Barbro found Professor Andreas Zeiher in Germany who had been performing stem cell therapy using the patient’s own Adult Stem Cells for many years. Now this is where the story gets a little confusing (at least to me):

Stem Cell Therapy for Congestive Heart Failure

According to Barbro’s account, Dr. Zeiher implanted the stem cells into her heart valve which apparently improved both her valve and her congestive heart failure. But if you look at the article, then in part 2, Dr. Zeiher describes implanting the stem cells into the arteries to cure the heart failure and in turn the heart valve?

Very confusing, but the most important part of the story is that Barbro now has her life back thanks to being implanted with her own Adult Stem Cells.

How Do the Stem Cells Do That Thing They Do?

Also from the article is this interesting tidbit from Dr. Zeiher: Stem cells have this extraordinary ability to turn into other cells. They help the heart heal by encouraging the formation of new blood vessels, which brings more oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle.

And as far as we know, unlike drug treatments, stem cell transplants have no undesirable side-effects. The process is also less risky than conventional open-heart surgery, as it doesn’t involve a general anaesthetic, which is always a concern with a heart failure patient.

You can read the full article here as it is very fascinating-  Stem Cell Research Article

This is the 2nd day in a row with a Heart Disease story helped by Stem Cell Research using a patient’s own stem cells. Yesterday we featured a Michigan man who also suffered from congestive heart failure.

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