This post is about both frustration and hope. Frustration that the stem-cell news everyone hears about is the most controversial. The kind that is the most theoretical and also raises the most ethical questions. What isn’t a household word is all of the alternatives. Successful and/or more promising alternatives using cord blood, adult stem-cells, fat cells, etc. Those stories are out there, just not hyped. And not the focus of our national discussion about stem-cell research, such that it is. Well, here are a few alternatives in the news in November. I’d wager most of them are, in fact, news to most. Still, that they are happening is hopeful. We’d be wise to focus more on them–invest more in them–rather than yelling at one another about one kind of research and getting nowhere.
“Adult stem cells act as construction supervisors in tissue,” Newswise, November 22, 2005
“Florida State University researcher’s device provides a major boost to adult stem cell research,” Hindustan Times , November 10, 2005
“Babies provide lifelines; Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Aid in Transplants for Leukemia Patients, Others, ” Charlotte Observer (North Carolina), November 7, 2005
“Cord Blood Stem Cells Key to Saving Lives,” NBC 4, November 30, 2005
“Stem cell surgery in S. Korea,” ABC 7 Medical, November 30, 2005
“Anemic boy recovering well from stem-cell blood transplant,” Yonhap English News, November 10, 2005
“Cord blood cells may widen treatment window for stroke,” University of South Florida Health, November 12, 2005
“Robot assisted stem cell therapy a first in Thailand ,” PRWeb, November 9, 2005
“Marrow cells aid coronary victims,” Australian, November 15, 2005
“Promising results reported in first U.S. clinical trial investigating the use of adult stem cells for severe coronary artery disease; Principal investigator from Caritas St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston presents data at American Heart Association meeting,” PRNewswire, Nov. 16, 2005
“Patients use own stem cells to heal,” Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee), Nov. 13, 2005
“Scientists use stem cells in therapy to fight AIDS,” RedOrbit, Nov. 7, 2005
“Argentine patients receive first cultured blood vessels,” Washington Times, Nov. 17, 2005
“Stem cell therapy helps MS woman,” BBC News, Nov. 17, 2005
“Parkinson disease; Stem cell implantation shows beneficial effect on Parkinson Disease,” Pharma Business Week, Nov. 21, 2005
“Spinal cord injury; UCB Transplantation Improves Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury,” Pain & Central Nervous System Week, Nov. 21, 2005
“Sustaining intrinsic growth capacity of adult neurons promotes spinal cord regeneration,” PNAS, Nov. 15, 2005
“Hair follicle stem cells repair nerve damage: study,” People’s Daily, Nov. 22, 2005
“Functional recovery after human umbilical cord blood cells transplantation with brain-derived neutrophic factor into the spinal cord injured rat,” Acta Neurochirurgica, 2005,
“The nose cells that may help the paralysed walk again,” Guardian (U.K.), Nov. 30, 2005