To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Monday, November 29, 2004
New Breakthrough in Stem Cell Therapy
A South Korean woman, paralyzed for 20 years, is walking again, thanks to stem cell therapy.
The good news for those of us opposed to fetal stem cell research- the stem cells came from cord blood, not fetal cells.
We know what works (adult and cord blood stem cells), and we know what doesn't (embryonic stem cells). WIth any luck, cases like this will bring attention to the cord and adult stem cell research that is being done and maybe change people's minds about what future steps to take in research.
The good news for those of us opposed to fetal stem cell research- the stem cells came from cord blood, not fetal cells.
They said it was the world's first published case in which a patient with spinal cord injuries had been successfully treated with stem cells from umbilical cord blood... Though they cautioned that more research was needed and verification from international experts was required, the South Korean researchers said Hwang's case could signal a leap forward in the treatment of spinal cord injuries...The use of stem cells from cord blood could also point to a way to side-step the ethical dispute over the controversial use of embryos in embryonic stem-cell research.From everything that I've read (The Reagan Institute is a good place to start), embryonic stem cells only offer hope for the baby, not for anyone else. All the research so far has led to tumors and death. Adult stem cells (yes, we have them, too) and cord blood cells offer the best hope for breakthroughs in several diseases.
We know what works (adult and cord blood stem cells), and we know what doesn't (embryonic stem cells). WIth any luck, cases like this will bring attention to the cord and adult stem cell research that is being done and maybe change people's minds about what future steps to take in research.
