Saw my buddy last weekend. He can't talk, and can move slowly. GOD DAMNIT this sucks. His 15 month boy is just adorable. He heard of a doctor in Beijing that is having success with a procedure injecting stem cells into ALS patients. It was on a news show recently. He asked me to go with him to China. What, am I going to say no? Of course I'll go with him, but this procedure is around $25,000. Including the trip.

So, I'm asking for some help. I know that stem cell research is legal in other countries including Canada. Does anyone have any info on this? Does the procedure really work? Is there a doctor in Canada that can do this to save some money? Are the results temporary? In other words is it a waste of his time and money? Is this doc in China a qwak?

Thanks for any help you can give us.

As I understand it, stem cell research is just that, research, and little clinical procedure has resulted.

This is one of the many policies I totally disagree with Bush on...  

Stemcell research is completely legal in the US.  The only restriction on it is that the government will not providing federal funds for most of the research.  Private companies can do whatever they want.

However, I'm sure the FDA hasn't approved the proceedure that they are using in China which is why it can't be done in the US.  I would definately find out more about what is actually going on in China and why no other developed country is not using the same method.

I don't mean to put a damper on it but "flying to China for a miracle cure" sounds like a scam.  China isn't exactly the worlds leader on medical research.

Quoted: I don't mean to put a damper on it but "flying to China for a miracle cure" sounds like a scam.  China isn't exactly the worlds leader on medical research.

+1

(tho let me know how it works out for him because I'm dealing with a similar situation with my old man right now)

it does sound like a scam, i've not seen any valid research yet with those types of claims out of any of the usual medical journals, I know ALS is a sad disease, but I truely believe that there will not be any benifits or treatments from stem cell for several, several years yet

and if they're not making sure that he understands that they can controll what the stem cells diffrentiate into and then stop the growth so it doesn't become a cancer, I'd deffinitly not believe them

we do bone marrow transplants at my trauma center. it has a tremendous oncology system in place as well.
stem cells are rather mysterious..they have the ability to regenerate new life into a body. under the proper conditions. not unlike the way a BM transplant takes over and ingests new life into a shot marrow.

its a catch 22..
they know what they are..they know what they do...and i'm pretty sure there are places out there DOING the patient studies.

yes you can change the situation with stem cells a percentage of the time..some diseases better than others.

on the otherhand, your playing god..some people dont like that idea.
the stuff in some of the journals is quit interesting. there is an incredible amount of what ifs riding on this..and alot of them are GOOD...

the bottom line is that yes stem cell research and transplants have the ability to change medical science as we know it.

why we are not doing it ....i cant fathom.

we are already performing cord blood transplants in some cases. where cord blood salvaged form a placenta after delivery of a baby is used for the BM transplant..

The Feds are financing embrionic stem cell research to the tune of $300 million a year, and much more than that on adult stem cells.

I am not aware of much successful use of embrionic cells.  There has been some successful use of adult stem cells.  I have also not read about any animal studies of embrionic stem cell research which has worked.

I'd avoid the Chinese docs.  The only research I have heard about them involves using 2nd and 3rd trimester aborted infants for body parts.  I'd rather shoot myself than get cured that way.

GunLvr

Stem cell research is legal, here, too, even with federal funds.  The limitation is that you cannot create NEW cell lines from embroys using federal funds (but you can using private funds).

Also be aware that con-men play on people with terminal diseases like cancer, etc.  People are willing to believe anything, sadly, because of their condition :(

Swire and jblachly are right.  Additionally, stem cell research is completely unlimited when the cells are drived from cord (umbilical) blood.  All this "illegal" or "banned" or "stupid, evil George Bush won't allow it" stuff is crap fed to the masses by the media and DNC.

Quoted: we do bone marrow transplants at my trauma center. it has a tremendous oncology system in place as well. stem cells are rather mysterious..they have the ability to regenerate new life into a body. under the proper conditions. not unlike the way a BM transplant takes over and ingests new life into a shot marrow. its a catch 22.. they know what they are..they know what they do...and i'm pretty sure there are places out there DOING the patient studies. yes you can change the situation with stem cells a percentage of the time..some diseases better than others. on the otherhand, your playing god..some people dont like that idea. the stuff in some of the journals is quit interesting. there is an incredible amount of what ifs riding on this..and alot of them are GOOD... the bottom line is that yes stem cell research and transplants have the ability to change medical science as we know it. why we are not doing it ....i cant fathom. we are already performing cord blood transplants in some cases. where cord blood salvaged form a placenta after delivery of a baby is used for the BM transplant..

I too have seen and participated in the bone marrow transplant proceedure. It works, sometimes, and sometimes fails miserably. Transplanting bone marrow and regenerating nervous tissue are apples and oranges though. Stem cell research has the promise of magical cures, but it is just research at this time. I know of no significant studies that show that stem cells can reverse the effects of ALS. I would seriously look into any claims that anyone is making before I spend precious TIME and to a lesser extent money chasing a rainbow.

Not sure about ALS, but I know diabetes has been CURED using stem cells.  If fucking Bush would open up Federal money for research, millions of lives would be positively affected.  I'm diabetic, so I'm one of them.

According to CNN, fat is rich in stem cells.  If that's true, stem cell research and testing will happen quickly and safely.

Weemer,

My thoughts and prayers are with your friend.  I lost my Father to this horrible diease in Dec of 2000.  I wish there is something that i could do but as you no that is not possible.  If your friend has not done so yet have his family contact the MDA as they have some programs that can help with communication and daily living such as adaptive tools, utensils, etc.

Again thought s and prayers are sent.

Chuck

Quoted: Not sure about ALS, but I know diabetes has been CURED using stem cells.  If fucking Bush would open up Federal money for research, millions of lives would be positively affected.  I'm diabetic, so I'm one of them.

not true at all, Diabetes has been cured in trials by islet of langerhan transplatation, I'd expect to see that becoming common in the next 10-15 years, but once again, not stem cells

Quoted: According to CNN, fat is rich in stem cells.  If that's true, stem cell research and testing will happen quickly and safely.

I hadn't heard that, but the problem with adult stem cells is that are often not pluripotent.  But take the cure for cancer research that's been going on intensely for the past 35 almost 40 years, all the money that's being spent and the progress that's been made, while significant, we're still not close to a cure for all cancers, there is still far too much we don't know about stem cells to be making as big deal out of it as it has been.  Possible miricle cure of the future?  likely, but it's going to take years of research before that happens