Stem Cells

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Stem cells are unspecialized cells, which have a potential to develop into different types of cells in the body. When a stem cells divides, each new cell has a potential to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, brain cell etc. Stem cell therapy uses stem cells to create living and functional tissues to regenerate and repair tissues and organs in the body that are damaged due to age, disease and congenital defects. Stem cells have the power to go to these damaged areas and regenerate new cells and tissues by performing a repair and a renewal process, restoring functionality.

Therapy types: There are many different types of stem cell therapies being used at different clinics all over the world, most of these therapies have not been proven by clinical trials and are being carried out illegally for extortionate prices. Different stem cells are used in different trials, the main ones being adult stem cells, foetal stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Different adult stem cells are used in many clinics and are inected into the blood, the lumbar region or the damaged tissue. ! few examples are: " #n San $ose, %osta &ica stem cells ta'en from fat tissue are used to treat multiple sclerosis. &esearch to cure (S is also being carried out in the )* where the (S society are funding a  proect which loo's at the long term effects + however no approved treatment has yet been found. " #n *orea adult stem cells are being inected into coronary arteries in attempt to cure heart attac' victims. The stem cells will help damaged cells recover and regenerate. !fter six years of trials all the procedures have been finalised and the treatment has been approved worldwide. oetal stem cells are also commonly used: " #n (oscow, -/, several inections of foetal neural stem cells were used to cure ataxia telangiectasia in a young boy. " #n Shanghai stem cells from umbilical cord or adipose tissue were used to cure autism0(S. " Stem cells from aborted foetuses were also inected to treat autism. 1mbryonic cells: " 1m%ell medical centre in the )'raine began treating types / and - diabetes mellitus in /22using human embryonic embryonic stem cells. Since then it has been using treatments which cure !#DS0(S and have recently begun to offer them for cancer03ar'inson4s ca ncer03ar'inson4s disease. The treatment wor's by the administration of stem cells to the patient either intravenously or subcutaneously, the cells then migrate to the correct correct site, multiply and specialize. There is no scientific evidence that these treatments are successful and !merican research has found that under certain conditions h1S%s can form tumours or teratomas and that there is no evidence that the cells would remain healthy healthy or even differentiate differentiate into the correct type. #n !merica !merica trials were put on hold for h1S%s in -2.

 

Success stories: #t has been proven by trials that blood disorders, bone marrow transplantation and rare immune deficiencies have been cured using adult stem cells. There have been a number of success stories that have been lin'ed to these stem cell treatments. 5ne of the most dramatic results came from %osta &ica, where doctors have treated between 6"7 multiple sclerosis patients with implants using adult stem cells ta'en from fat tissue. 5ne wheelchair bound patient was able to stand after two months of treatment. ! stem cell implant into a patient4s pancreas in peru was used to treat his type - diabetes. The treatment had positive results, as he was no longer re8uired to regularly inect insulin + he is now free to eat whatever he wants. #n 9eiing, although no official data has been published from their clinical trials, autistic  patients have shown mar'ed improvements in their condition a couple of wee's after treatment.

ailed attempts: owever, there have also been a large number of failed attempts of these treatments. or example, one patient received several inections of fetal neural stem cells at a clinic in (oscow to treat his rare degenerative brain disease, !taxia telangiectasia. The treatment lead to recurring headaches, and, following a scan on his brain it was revealed abnormal growths in his brain and spinal cord. The tumour was found to have derived from the transplanted neural stem cells. !dditional complications have arisen from various stem cell treatments. Stem"cell implants in %hina used to treat chronic spinal chord inury resulted in some patients contacting meningitis after the operation. ;ervous system complications and infections have also been reported.

1xploitation Side effects: Stem cell tourism promises terminally ill patients safe and effective treatment. owever, many side effects have been found from those treatments: from our failed case studies, it was indicated that patients developed tumours and some treatments led to death cases. They are causing real harm. The treatments inect stem cells into children brains and we are not really sure what they are actually doing during the therapies. inancial exploitation: These treatments are very expensive. This includes coming to therapies couple of times, travel expenses etc. Therefore in total it could end up being hundreds of thousands dollars Sold to the public: headlines for desperate moms with sic' children, good news stories <only  positive testimonials=, and mostly children are treated.

 

&egulation: There are many international clinics advertising unproven therapies but a closer loo' shows that there is no information about the types of stem cells being used this 'ind of permissive regulation can lead to more harm than good, in -/ a doctor in the u' was treating patients with stem cells from cows the impure cells caused more damage than help. %ountries such as the u' and !merica have regulatory framewor's that re8uire a demonstration of efficacy and safety where as many countries have a more permissive attitude on regulations for stem cell therapy. !lso unsure how much damage these unregulated treatments cause as there is an absence of comprehensive regulation which means no comprehensive follow up. There is also no provision for a long term follow up so there is no hard evidence for the long term effects. (ost clinical trials occur in the u' and !merica but the therapeutic clinics are mostly in china mexico and costa rica this shows that most countries that treat people with stem cells don4t have as much research to bac' there treatments. #nternational society for stem cell research tried to list effective and ineffective clinics but were charged with business defamation" even if they had won the trial would not have the money for the litigation so too' down posting. #n !ustralia there is stringent standards on manufacturing of cells for therapy but these are limited to donating cells so clinics found a loophole where they ta'e out cells from the patient alter them and put them bac' in the patient. The unregulated can be very harmful but with stem cells there is no reason for people to pay any attention to what is going on in the world with them and the people who do pay attention are sic' and desperate and will do anything for a chance of treatment. >

&egulatory oversight o #ntranational regulations " ?aw overseeing therapies and researches should not apply in another nation@ physicians and investigators who do not want to adhere to these rues can move to a different country o #nternational agreements can help to close this regulatory gap

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1ducating patients and physician o 1ducating patients about the ris's of unproven therapies can help to address stem cell tourism problems. ?imitation: people might ignore warning and  prudent advices o 1ducating physicians on the dangers dangers of the unproven stem cells therapy. ?imitations: many may not receive rec eive such education or may ignore it. !lso, it4s hard to for doctors to convince their patients especially when conventional treatments have failed

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Social responsibilities o 5bligation to avoid avoid causing harm harm and an obligation to avoid causing harm and an obligation to benefit the public

 

o 5pen to public since they provide the funds funds for scientists. o Scientists understand the science behind stem cells, there fore they can evaluate the validity of the different uses of stem cells.   >

&efuse to share o %ell lines and material with physicians or investigators whom they believe might be behaving irresponsibly@ to decide who is a responsible person they can use %A, supply documentation, a research, clinic clinical al research etc.

> (T! + provide a contract between institutions for exchange of material regarding regarding stem cells o ;o transplants on human human unless unless approved by D! D! o (ust follow scientific ethical guidel •

Some might argue that this goes against the scientific openness where scientists must share their data in order for science to progress, however, there are times when this can be superseded due to protection of of confidentiality of participants, securing information or preventing bioterrorism

There is no full understanding of stem cell treatment from the public" when people see' the treatment it shows how people fall victim to false promises when facing great obstacles and spend large sums of money with no guarantee of the outcome, however should reason and evidence matter, or should they given this opportunity for some hope when the only other option is doing nothing. There is so much optimism for stem cells in the future many scientists and regulators are concerned providers are exploiting patient4s hopes and vulnerabilities.

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