Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comResearchers have transformed ordinary mouse skin cells directly into neurons, bypassing the need for stem cells or even stemlike cells and greatly speeding up the field of regenerative medicine.
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I think it's wondrous that we as men, can come up with ways to do things that we do. Even on the tiniest level of Genes and Cells. Regenerative Medicines could be a very very good thing, but it could also be a horrible bad thing.
I only hope and pray that this might also have some efficacy for motor neurons to treat ALS.
Pat Robertson will say it's the devil's work, and Rush is likely to call it a liberal conspiracy!
As a person with two auto-immune diseases, I welcome this kind of work. I may yet be able to maintain a 'normal' way of life if these treatments are successful.
Try searching the Internet under your specific disease and "stem cell". There may already be something in Panama, Costa Rica, or Brazil. I really don't know for sure.
It's great to hear about new developments in stem cell research. Now that the US has invested so much in this project, how quickly can the knowledge be shipped over to China so that they can start making money on US research dollars?
The really sad part of the stem cell story is the fact that billions of dollars have been invested by the federal government and state governments in stem cell research projects, but return on investment is not being reaped because of restrictive regulation in the USA. Research has already developed treatment for a great variety of health problems. But Americans would have to travel abroad to Europe, Central America, or Asia to try such treatments to repair their problems. Medical Tourism is what that's called. More and more American companies are going to Asia, creating partnerships or subsidiaries abroad in order to be able to treat people. Why? Because the FDA has determined that even autologous stem cell treatment (extracting a person's own stem cells for culture, growth, and reinfusion into themselves) is a "drug" and needs to have their supervision and approval for each treatment. Yeah, like a doctor and patient should wait for months and months for the FDA to get something done. So, technology goes overseas... and the patients with their hopes and cash are going... and that's money that should be kept in the US economy.
Do we have the technology in this country to really handle many patients for stem cell therapies? Actually, thousands of patients have already benefited from autologous stem cell therapy, particularly for tendon and bone disorders. Who are these patients (upwards of 75% of those treated) that show recovery from stem cell treatment? Horses and dogs, that's who. Vet-Stem has for years now been successfully treating animals with this technology. Since they're treating animals, they aren't under the FDA restriction, of course. So, if Fido has arthritis, stem cells can have him playing like a puppy again. But if Grandma has arthritis, better plop her in a wheelchair and give her pain meds.
Are we finding tricklings from the Fountain of Youth, but only letting our pets drink it? Or have we already given away the Fountain of Youth to China so they can sell the Elixir of Life back to us at $25,000 a cup?