SWITZERLAND – Investments in Stem Cell Research

Posted on 10 May 2013 by Stem Man

: Image via Wikipedia

Halfway through February, the National Swiss Fund has established a national plan for stem cell research and regenerative medicine, providing 10 million francs (6,766,000 euros) in financing over 5 years. In November, the Foundation will make a decision on projects that have already been submitted. In January 2010, those which have been approved will get underway. The objective is to favor basic biological stem cell and regenerative medicine research, and to spread awareness internationally.

At the end of 2004 in a referendum, Swiss citizens approved a law that allows the use of excess embryonic stem cells from fertility clinics. Researchers assert that regulations, which are too restrictive, do not provide enough embryos for research. In the political world, liberal Senator Felix Gutzwiller is one of the most highly aware the criticisms made by scientists. He is willing to promote further modifications to legislation and to the Constitution, although it is expected that he will meet stiff opposition from ecologists and religious groups.

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Doctors Organization Publishes U.S.’s First Adult Stem Cell Guidelines

Posted on 4 May 2013 by Don Margolis

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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China looks to expand stake in stem cell technology

Posted on 2 May 2013 by Stem Man

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China will build Asia’s biggest base to develop uses for stem cell medical technology, which the health minister described as having huge potential for development, a Hong Kong newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Stem cell techniques use the body’s master cells to create new cells that medical researchers hope can be used to fight diseases and heal injuries. Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu said his country could become a leader in finding uses for the technology.

“The stem cell and regenerative medicine sector is one of China’s new high-tech biological sectors with the strongest development potential,” Chen said in a message marking the launch of the project in eastern Jiangsu province on Tuesday, according to the the Ta Kung Pao, a mainland-run Hong Kong paper.

“Accelerating the development of this sector will be important for lifting people’s standard of living and health.”

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Research shows how snorting can deliver stem cells to the brain

Posted on 24 April 2013 by Stem Man

William H. Frey

Scientists have pioneered a unique delivery system to administer therapeutic stem cells to the brain, by way of a simple nasal spray. Once the droplets containing the stem cells are snorted through the nose, the solution breaks through the blood-brain barrier, seeding the brain with the stem cells (…)

Scientists from the University of Minnesota and the University Hospital of Tuebingen, Germany conducted the research. The researchers administered the nasal spray containing rat stem cells to mice and within an hour, the rat stem cells were visible in the mice brains. The researchers then repeated the experiment using human stem cells and they also penetrated the blood-brain barrier within an hour.

It’s believed the stem cells enter the brain through the olfactory nerves through small holes in the cribriform plate, which is a thin horizontal part of the skull at the base of the brain.

The researchers further found that administering an enzyme called hyaluronidase, to the mice before having them snort the stem cells, enabled greater amounts of stem cells to travel to the brain.
The nasal delivery system has obvious benefits over drilling into a patient’s skull to administer the stem cells, which can cause inflammation and infection.

Lead researcher William Frey, an adjunct professor of pharmaceutics at Minnesota noted, “When you cut into the brain, that leads to an inflammatory response,” says Frey. “We’re hoping this will help. We didn’t see evidence that intranasal stem cell treatment caused inflammation.” (…)

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SPAIN – Embryonic stem cells. Health minister: conditions exist to perform clinical experiments

Posted on 22 April 2013 by Stem Man

: Image by dalequetepego via Flickr

In Spain the “conditions exist to perform experiments with this technique”. Health Minister Bernat Soria experienced a personal triumph with the approval of the first human testing with embryonic stem cells, even if it did occur in the US. He added that he is working on regulations “so that all of this, which is already legal, is effective in practical terms: both to provide guarantees for the researchers and volunteers and to facilitate procedures.

He also announced that his intentions have materialized in an agreement with the Governor of California, who, although a Republican, has made big investments into this field.

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