Friday, 10 May 2019

Stem Cell Treatment Centers Hope To Change The Face Of Medicine

By Frances Moore


Over the past few decades truly major breakthroughs have been made in the medical field. Diseases that once caused the death of thousands are now considered as conquered. New medication, treatment methods and tools allow doctors to help many more people than they were able to just a few years ago. Even diseases that cannot be cured yet can at least be managed, thus prolonging the lives of the patient. Scientists at stem cell treatment centers think that they will make major breakthroughs soon.

Bone marrow transplants are not new. They have been performed for a number of years on very ill patients suffering from leukemia and other blood related cancers. These patients, after receiving repeated chemo treatment, have very poor immune systems. With bone marrow transplants, it is hope to encourage the growth of new blood cells to replace those destroyed by the drastic chemo treatment.

Bone marrow transplants do not offer a cure for cancer. It is mostly performed as a last resort and can, if things go well, add some years to the life of a patient. But scientists believe that these transplants will indeed become a cure in the future, not just for blood related cancers but also many other types. Progress is very slow, however, because the research is prohibitively expensive and research must be done painstakingly.

It is not just a cure for cancer that interests researchers in bone marrow transplants. They believe that these transplants have particular promise in the reversing of damage done to brain cells. If they achieve positive results in this area, patients with brain damage or spine damage may be cured. The possibility of reversing the effects of debilitating diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer is also very exciting.

Heart disease remains one of the most deadly killers in the world. Researchers think that the day will come when bone marrow transplants will be effective in stimulating the growth of healthy cells inside the heart to take the place of those damaged by the disease. Research in this area is still in its infancy, however, and real results will not be achieved within the immediate future.

Despite the high hopes that researches have for the potential of bone marrow transplants, the entire issue remains extremely controversial. Critics say that these transplants are not only very dangerous, but that there is not a shred of scientific evidence that it holds any benefits whatsoever. The fact that bone marrow is routinely harvested from the umbilical cords of unborn babies is also a major issue of contention.

Critics say that researchers in this field raise the hopes of patients with promises of rapid progress and imminent breakthroughs. This is simply not true. Any breakthrough in bone marrow transplant techniques are still many years in the future and researchers are simply using the hype to raise funds for even more research. This money could be used more productively in other fields, say critics.

Despite the controversy and criticism against research into bone marrow transplants, one hope that the results scientists are hoping for will indeed come true. Many millions of lives will be saved and mankind will have a major victory over many diseases. Results are still a way off in the future, however.




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