Stem Cell Treatment Centers Hold Great Promise

By Eric Davis


Medical science has progressed in leaps and bounds. Many diseases have been conquered during the past few decades. Diseases that use to instil dread are now treated without fuss and many millions of people enjoy longer lives thanks to the ever advancing medical field. Research continues unabated and there is every reason to hope for even more revolutionary breakthroughs in the future. Stem cell treatment centers, for example, hope to achieve the next major victory over disease and human suffering.

There is a lot of attention focused on marrow transplants at the moment but these transplants have been done for some time. Thus far, however, only patients with blood related cancer were treated. These patients undergo chemo therapy that destroys all cells, both healthy and diseased. This causes their immune systems to weaken and to make them more susceptible to infection. Bone marrow transplants are done to encourage the regeneration of healthy cells.

At present, bone marrow transplants do not effect a cure in cancer patients, but there is no doubt that they increase the life expectancy of those patients. Researchers are convinced that transplants will eventually cure blood related cancers and many other medical conditions too. Unfortunately, progress is extremely slow. Bone marrow transplants pose many potential dangers and numerous tests will have to be performed before trials on humans can even be contemplated.

The purpose of these transplants is to encourage the growth of healthy new cells. Scientists believe that once this technology becomes safe and commonplace, it will be effective in reversing the brain damage caused by debilitating conditions such as strokes and Parkinson disease. It is even foreseen that transplants will be able to reverse the havoc caused by physical brain injuries.

Another potential field of application for bone marrow transplants is the treatment of heart disease. Heart disease is still one of the main causes of premature death everywhere in the world. It is hoped that bone marrow transplants will be effective in growing new cells to replaced damaged or destroyed tissue inside the heart. If this becomes a reality, millions of lives will be saved.

All is not roses and sunshine, however. Research in this area has many enemies. There main concern is the fact that these transplants can use blood taken from the umbilical cords of babies yet to be born to substitute for real bone marrow. This, critics say, is an abomination that will lead to very serious abuse of human life, especially the lives of innocent infants not even born yet.

There are also many others that accuse researchers in this field of creating false hope of imminent results that will prove to be revolutionary. They point out that this is simply not true. Useful results are still many years in the future and critics say that scientists simply maintain the hype about the potential of bone marrow transplants in order to secure sufficient funds for ongoing research.

Whether bone marrow transplants will be the next medical miracle remains to be seen. One thing is certain, however. Any breakthrough that will lead to a victory over disease will be welcomed by all and sundry.




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