By Paul Jones


Just a few decades ago people routinely died of diseases that are now commonly regarded as minor. Flu, bronchitis, measles and infections killed millions of people before things like antibiotics and penicillin was discovered. To this day, researchers work hard at finding new breakthroughs. They have many successes and more and more disease are conquered. Stem cell treatment centers seems to be one of the new options that promises a very great advance in the way many diseases and conditions will be treated.

This type of therapy is commonly known as bone marrow transplants. It is not new but in the past it was not all that effective and was mainly used in patients suffering from diseases of the blood, such as leukaemia and lymphoma. These patients routinely get chemotherapy but this unfortunately kills all cells indiscriminately. A bone marrow transplant can help such patients to grow healthy new cells and to boost their immune systems.

It is true that bone marrow transplants are done mainly on cancer patients at present, and only as a last resort, but researchers are confident that this revolutionary therapy will soon be in general use for the curing or management of many types of diseases. Unfortunately, research is still in its infancy and much more needs to be done before this type of therapy can be used on humans safely.

One of the most exciting potential future benefits of bone marrow transplants will be for patients suffering from Alzheimer, Parkinsons and other conditions that severely influence the workings of the brain. It is foreseen that spinal injuries and other types of brain damage will be treated successfully by means of transplants. Even the terrible effects of strokes and seizures will be reversed, allowing patients to resume a normal and satisfying life.

Treating heart disease much more effectively is another aim of researchers in this field. Heart disease is still one of the biggest health problems experience by humans all over the world. There are many treatment options but when the heart is physically damaged not much can be done short of a heart transplant. Bone marrow transplants promise to promote the growth of new muscles and cells in the heart.

There are many critics of this field of research. They argue that bone marrow transplants opens a very big door for unethical behaviour. They base this allegation on the fact that it is not always actual bone marrow that is transplanted, but also the blood from the umbilical cords of foetuses. Critics also point out that unsuccessful transplant almost always result in the death of the patient.

Critics also say that researchers are far too liberal in their claims regarding the future benefits of bone marrow transplants. They say that researches have not produced a shred of evidence to back their extravagant claims and that they are creating false hope simply in order to secure research grants and to make large profits at institutions currently offering this form of therapy.

Nobody is in any doubt that there will be revolutionary breakthroughs in the medical field. Bone marrow transplant researchers are adamant that this type of therapy will prove to be one of the safest and most versatile therapies ever. One really hopes that they are correct.




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