Why all the emphasis on Embryonic Stem Cell research and so little written about Adult Stem Cell Research?

Researchers have known about adult stem cells (ASC) for 40 years, embryonics (ESC) for almost as long. For most of that time, bone marrow and ASC have been successfully used to help certain forms of cancer, leukemia and a couple of uncommon diseases. Then, in 1998, two events in the USA shook the ground of the medical world forever, though it wasn’t immediately clear how it would play out.

At the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. Jamie Thomson isolated, for the first time, a line of embryonic stem cells. Meanwhile, at Duke University, Prof. Doris Taylor wrote the seminal paper which let the world know that ASC had helped cure heart disease in rodents. Both doctors thought human benefits would be a very long time away.

Thomson was correct, saying it would take “decades.” Taylor was, in her own words, “a little naïve” for not realizing that the medical community would take off and use her concept virtually immediately! First came a year or two of animal tests, then, in Paris, 2000, doctors gave a dying 70-year-old heart patient bone marrow cells and he lived four years, at which time the doctors ‘fessed up and released his name. In 2001, USA pioneer Warren Sherman, MD (Columbia U, Mt. Sinai NY Hosp) went to Rotterdam and became the first American to implant ASC into a human heart. However, if you can believe it, the same Sherman, calls those that have taken forward what he did eight years ago, “snake oil salesmen.”

In 2002, a very daring clinical trial led by Dr. Hans Dohmann plus six colleagues in Brazil took 21 transplant candidates and gave 14 of them bone marrow cells. The results were so spectacular that the AHA accepted the paper and it was presented in 2003. Five of the seven in the control group opted in to make a total of 19 stem cell transplants. The mortality rate for transplant candidates is about 35% per year. At that rate there would be, of those 19, only 2.2 patients still alive after five years. There were, in fact, 12 alive as of Dec. 31, 2007; more than five years down the road.

In 2003, Dr. Andreas Zeiher of the Goethe Institute in Frankfurt began much larger trials. As of 2007, he has overseen more ASC implants into hearts than anyone, both in and out of clinical trials.

In 2004, Dr. Amit Patel of Pittsburgh completed two of the most successful trials ever, especially when, in Uruguay, he proved, on a group of ischemic heart failure patients, that a bypass plus cells was infinitely better than a bypass only. That same year, TheraVitae, in Israel, developed a new, powerful blood-derived stem cell and dared to treat the sickest patients no clinical trial would consider. Also in 2004, one of the Brazilians, Dr. Perin, came to Texas and used the Brazil results to get the first ASC heart clinical trial approved by the FDA. Over a dozen such approvals were granted in the next 12-18 months.

Meanwhile, around the world, while USA stem cell research remains mired in politics instead of science, ASC advances in virtually every sector of medicine are rocketing forward without any sign of letting up. In 2005, Drs. Vina & Saslavsky in Argentina completed the very first successful diabetes2 stem cell clinical trial in the world: 13 out of 16 successfully cured. Spinal problems and emphysema and renal failure and cirrhosis of the liver treatments will be moving to the forefront in 2008-9. (Yes, but mostly in China and elsewhere, while Americans die with those diseases without a chance of help from their “doctors.”

TheraVitae has published two papers showing that ASC could easily produce the neurons that embryonic fanatics still lie about and claim cannot happen. That opened the way to research brain and nerve and immune system disorders, but America isn’t even trying. China is showing the way for neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis and others, including what is secretly America’s fastest growing disease, Autism . By 2015 we’ll see some trials, and, knowing ASC, they will be successful, but will NOT lead to treatments. Proof? Those above-mentioned USA heart clinical trials are now five years down the road from Dr. Perin’s approval. Not a prayer of helping anyone in the next five years, because the American Medical System will not allow its profits to be disturbed.

Oh, and embryonics---nothing to report. Not one person helped. Not one trial approved (or even applied for). ** But lots of press releases bragging about “discoveries” and promising the moon and even the stars. Jamie Thomson, however, was spot-on when he said “decades.” To try to quiet the politics, he even helped invent a way to get ESC from adult skin, but that won’t work until 2010, if then, and, at best, we’ll still be where we are today, which is: ESC have not been involved in any of the about 2000 world-wide stem cell clinical trials, and won’t be tried in one anytime soon.

**To be historically correct, there was one embryonic trial “approved” in January 2009. Don Margolis is on record as saying that trial is a clinical sham and will not start in “early summer 2009 as publicized.”

Victory for Adult Stem Cell Research- Saves a Man's Leg

Tom Fisher already had his  right leg amputated due to complications from Diabetes and he was in danger of losing his left leg as well.  However, stem cell research in the form of Adult Stem Cells has saved his leg from amputation and have healed all his ulcers and infections and gangrene bringing back his leg to 94% normal.

Stem Cell Therapy- Clinical Trial in Charleston, South Carolina

Fisher, 84 years old was treated at Roper Hospital in South Carolina where there is an ongoing randomized stem cell research trial for a stem-cell therapy to treat critical limb ischemia, a result of Peripheral Artery Disease.

From the stem cell news article:

"That was astounding," said Dr. Jeb Hallett, medical director at the Roper St. Francis Heart and Vascular Center. "The results have been amazing."

Of the nine area patients participating, seven still have their limbs, Hallett said.

Approximately 70-80% Success in Saving a Leg

The trial is sponsored by Harvest Technologies, a stem cell research company in Massachusetts who are also sponsoring similar studies in India and Europe.  According to Dr. Hallett, 87.5% of the Indian patients were able to keep their legs while in Europe, the results are 70% were able to keep their legs.

Without stem cell treatment, in similar cases of Peripheral Artery Disease, 80% LOSE their legs.  So, a 70-80% success rate for this Adult Stem Cell treatment is wonderful.

Stem Cell Treatment Before Pigs Fly?

What is not so wonderful is the results of the trial are not due until 2012.  Only 3-4 more years?? Are you serious?  Can't we wait longer to use our own stem cells to heal ourselves?

Medicare is very interested in this as the price of stem cell treatment is cheaper than that of an angioplasty or bypass and thus would save them millions of dollars if approved by the FDA.

So if I understand correctly:

1. the stem cell treatment is cheaper than other alternatives (angioplasty or bypass) for Peripheral Artery Disease,


2. the therapy is safer and less invasive (just simple injections using a syringe of stem cells into the legs),


3. it has no side effects because it uses your own Adult Stem Cells,


4. and is probably 60-70% more effective than any other intervention--- but it won't be available for at least 4 more years (and that is being very optimistic).

Think how many legs will be lost in that time.  Way to Go FDA- your silly rules of treating a person's own stem cells as a drug is costing lives and limbs.

Other People Helped by Adult Stem Cells for their Peripheral Artery Disease

Stem Cells for Peripheral Artery Disease

Stem Cell Research Press Release

I released this press release on the Real Cost of Embryonic Stem Cell Research earlier this week and I just wanted to make sure you all saw it- the title was this:
Repair Stem Cell Institute Warns About Real Cost of Embryonic Stem Cell Research


RSCI's Chairman expressed his concern that since few people can afford to travel outside the country for medical treatments, America needs to put more focus on approving ultra safe adult stem cell treatments to alleviate the suffering of millions diagnosed with so-called untreatable diseases.

Don Margolis, founder of the world's first stem cell treatment company and chairman of the Repair Stem Cell Institute, today issued a statement which took strong exception to Washington's emphasis on embryonic stem cells over both Repair (Adult) Stem Cells and induced Pluripotent stem cells (iPS).

Margolis said, "This leads to one key question which no one in America seems to ask: Why is the FDA, which indiscriminately rushes unproven deadly drugs to AIDS patients, forbidding six million dying heart patients access to long-proven SAFE stem cell therapy?" Is it because heart patients don't count in politics while AIDS patients do? Or is there another reason why they allow drugs such as Vioxx and forbid risk-free stem cells?

Adult Stem Cells- Improving Lives Now

Margolis added that Repair Stems Cells are right now, every week, improving dozens and dozens of lives all over the world. He emphasized that "Patients stricken with disabling diseases such as congestive heart failure, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, ataxia, autism, COPD, emphysema, Crohn's, and optic nerve disorders, among 100+ other conditions, are receiving successful stem cell treatments today on every continent but North America!"

"When the President lifted the partial ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research stem cell research, he did not mention that Embryonic Stem Cells (ESC) have never worked on humans or animals and never will," Margolis said. "He also didn't mention that Embryonic Stem Cells, when injected into your body, can cause deadly tumors as they have in thousands of lab animals."

Mr. Margolis pointed out that just five days before the ESC announcement, Dr. Bernadine Healy, former director of the National Institutes of Health, published an article in U.S. News & World Report which states, "To date, most of the stem cell triumphs that the public hears about involve the infusion of adult stem cells." Healy concluded that "during the first six weeks of Obama's term, several events reinforced the notion that embryonic stem cells . . . are obsolete."

That was the "meat and potatoes of it, but there is more if you want---

Click here for the rest of this stem cell press release

Leave a comment and tell me what you think about  the press release- was I too soft?  Too hard?  Did I hit the nail on the head?  Let me know as I am already working on the next press release and want to get a feel for what you all are thinking.

Stem Cell Research Debate-Heart Disease Can Be Helped Now

While much of the United States is focused on the debate of Embryonic Stem Cell research versus Adult Stem Cell research, not much attention is given to patients benefiting from Adult Stem Cells right now. The number of patients helped by stem cell therapy for heart disease and angina in the United States is steadily increasing as more and more clinical trials are beginning.

Clinical Trials Difficult To Qualify For

David Leach of Minnesota was one of the few lucky people to actually qualify for a clinical trial. David had endured angina for the last 15 years. He tried multiple solutions including bypass surgery and taking nitro to ease the pain. However, nothing worked.

Angina and Heart Disease for 15 Years

David Leach had endured the pain of angina for 15 years because of poor blood flow feeding his heart muscle.

"It's a lot of pressure on the chest and shortness of breath and just a sharp pain," was how he described it.

David averaged about 2 painful episodes of angina per day as his quality of life was limited by his heart disease.

Process of Stem Cells

David had his own Adult Stem Cells removed from his blood stream and then using a special catheter, doctors implanted the Adult Stem Cells back into his heart muscle. The doctors specifically aimed at the areas of the heart that were starving for blood in order to increase the blood flow to those areas.

After Stem Cell Treatment- 50% Improvement

Since the stem cell therapy, David has reduced his angina episodes to about once a day- a 50% improvement! And now reports he has more energy and can walk farther distances than before.

You can see the video accompanying this story at this stem cell site

Because of the FDA, Patients Suffer

Again, I must stress that to qualify for these clinical trials is very difficult. The majority of patients get turned away. So for every lucky guy like David Leach, there is thousands  who got turned away with no other options other than to leave the United States to receive treatment using their own Adult Stem Cells.  Either that or continue to suffer needlessly because the FDA has classified your own stem cells as a drug that is subject to 7-10 years of clinical trials for each disease.

People say "Bush stopped stem cell research," but in reality it is the FDA that is slowing the process-- people can be helped now using their own stem cells. No, as we see in David Leach's case, it is not a "cure", but a 50% improvement, that is great for his quality of life. And Adult Stem Cells can do that right now in so many diseases and conditions, if the FDA would just let us.

Other Heart Disease Patients Helped By Adult Stem Cell Research

This is a great story too about a man from Louisiana who has been helped by his own adult stem cells. Read the Adult Stem Cell research miracle story here

Stem Cell Research Paying Dividends to Stroke Patient

Thanks to advances in stem cell research, stroke patients can now be helped with their own Adult Stem Cells. Doctors at University of Texas Medical School in Houston treated a stroke patient for the very first time in the United States  using the patient's own stem cells.

Patient's Own Adult Stem Cells Used for Stroke

Roland Henrich was the first American (in the United States) to be treated with his own Adult stem cells. From the stem cell article:

A University of Texas Medical School at Houston team last week injected stem cells taken from bone marrow of the trial’s first patient (Roland), who arrived at Memorial Hermann Hospital’s emergency department too late to receive tissue plasminogen activator, the clot-busting drug proven to treat stroke if given promptly.

Doctors say Roland is doing well although it is too early to tell if it is because of the stem cell treatment.

Adult Stem Cells for Stroke- Available to the Masses in 2019

Note this date April 1, 2009-- if this treatment using his own stem cells is effective (and it should be) , it will take approximately 10 years before this stem cell treatment becomes available to the general population of the United States because of the FDA's stance that says your own Adult Stem Cells are drugs.

Because- Unfortunately, this is only a part of a  Phase I trial to demonstrate safety-  Savitz said it should take about a year to enroll its 10 patients, who must arrive at Memorial Hermann more than three hours after suffering a stroke but within three days.

This goes to my point about the FDA classifying your own Adult Stem Cells as drugs--

About 1 year to enroll all the patients, another year to follow up on the results, then probably another year before the FDA says "OK, you can do a Phase II trial which will take even longer than the first one--- and if that works out, ok, you can do a Phase III trial.  And then, when that is finally completed, the FDA  may then take their time before approving it as a treatment.   10 years from NOW.  Although the treatment is safe and no side effects because it is your own stem cells.

As I said before here in this post about US Doctors Challenging the FDA , just because it is in the trial phase does not mean it will be able to be used in the United States anytime soon.

Now, I am familiar with stem cell clinics all around the world that are having success using Adult Stem Cells to help stroke patients now.  But because of these ridiculous FDA rules-  Americans will have to wait 10 years for this treatment for stroke.  Think how many stroke victims will needlessly suffer during that time.

Other Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke Stories

This follows that "Stem Cell Tea Bag" that was used to treat (and help) a German stroke victim.