The Don Margolis Blog

Research Shows Adult Stem Cells Can Heal Heart Attack

In a stem cell research study at the University of Miami, Barry Brown has had his heart attack healed after receiving therapy using his own Adult Stem Cells. An unlikely candidate for heart disease, Barry was a 38 year old physical trainer in the Air Force when he had his heart attack.

Stem Cell Treatment in Addition to a Bypass Surgery

While receiving treatment at the VA hospital, Brown was approached by Dr. Juan Pablo Zambrano, a cardiologist at the University of Miami who have been conducting a clinical trial in which the heart disease patient is injected with their own Adult Stem Cells just after the completion of bypass surgery. In other words, while the chest is open, it is convenient for the heart surgeon to inject the stem cells into the heart muscle.

Process of Stem Cells for Heart Disease

Barry was accepted into the study and had some of his bone marrow extracted 4 weeks before his bypass surgery was scheduled. The Adult Stem Cells from his bone marrow were isolated and then cultivated so there was enough stem cells to help in the treatment. Then, after 4 weeks the stem cells were injected into the heart at the same time as Barry's bypass surgery.

And how did it turn out? From the stem cell article:

Things have slowed down for Brown since those hectic first weeks at the VA, but things are speeding up in a different way now. Each week, he has been able to add a quarter-mile to his daily workout walk.

By spring he was up to three miles a day. Now, at 39, he is training to compete in a mini-triathlon.

''And I'm feeling no discomfort,'' he said.

Although the initial case studies have been successful, the three doctors know they are facing an uphill battle. They have secured only 11 of the targeted 45 willing participants. Many who have heart damage are unwilling to wait a month for their stem cells to incubate without a guarantee that they will be in the treatment group.

''We are working with the FDA to try to guarantee that those who are in the placebo group do eventually get administered the treatment,'' Hare said.

Working With the FDA? Waiting for the Cubs to Win the World Series Too?

In other words, Dr. Hare, who is conducting the study and is playing by the FDA rules, wants to give stem cells to the patients who received the placebo in his study -AFTER the study is completed. Why it would take more than 1 phone call to the FDA to guarantee that those in the placebo group receive the stem cell treatment (after the research is completed!)  is beyond my comprehension.  Not many have accused the FDA of having common sense and compassion.

Sarcasm aside, I am very happy that Dr. Hare is conducting the research study and helping heart disease patients improve their lives with the use of their own stem cells as treatment. Keep on going my friend.

Drug Companies and FDA Trying to Slow Adult Stem Cell Progress

In a startling new interview on stem cell research and adult stem cells in the near future, Dr. Christopher Centeno warns that Big Pharma and the FDA are teaming to control the use of a person's own stem cells thus slowing innovation and the use of Adult Stem Cells to help patients now.

American Stem Cell Therapy Association

Dr. Centeno has formed the American Stem Cell Therapy Association to challenge the FDA's assertion that a person's own stem cells are a drug and thus should be regulated as such ie. subject to 7-10 years of clinical trials for each particular disease and condition.  That is 10 years for heart patients, 10 years of trials for stroke patients etc.

The FDA is Killing People By Slowing Down Use of a Person's Own Stem Cells

The article/interview in H+ magazine states:

If we're not careful, these therapies could become the exclusive domain of the pharmaceutical industry, as regulated by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This could push the availability of this tool kit 15 to 20 years into the future. The opportunity-cost in terms of morbidity and mortality could be catastrophic.

"The Opportunity-cost in terms of morbidity and mortality could be catastrophic? This is just the author's nice PC way of saying that the FDA is killing people by trying to regulate the use of our own cells.  If the FDA slows down the use of Adult Stem Cells- each year millions will suffer and die needlessly.


More from the article:

To Dr. Centeno (a pioneer in Adult stem cell therapy), it is inconceivable that a person’s own cells could be classified as a drug —  but that's exactly what the FDA wants to do. “The FDA is working to protect the interests of Big Pharma,” he says. “If we wanted to insert some kind of new genes into these cells, we might all agree that could be a drug  — a new entity. But what we're doing is simply culturing a person’s own cells. Most of the cells are bone-marrow derived; you can get them from synovial fluid in the knee or from other locations.”

I recommend you read the whole article carefully and see how the FDA is not helping and protecting and serving us-  but in reality, is hurting us.

Here is the link to the Adult Stem Cell article

If you are a doctor and interested in joining forces with Dr. Centeno in taking on the FDA- go to the http://www.stemcelldocs.org

If you are a patient or just interested in fighting the FDA for the use of our own stem cells- go to http://www.safestemcells.org

Prochymal Adult Stem Cell Therapy Available For Graft Vs Host Disease

Lost amidst the Adult stem cell company Osiris' latest press release announcing their 1rst quarter results for 2009, was a revelation that revealed that their "off the shelf" stem cell product, Prochymal, was given approval by the FDA to be used as a stem cell treatment and therapy for Graft Vs Host Disease (GVHD) in children.

Adult Stem Cells for GVHD

In May 2008, Osiris announced that Prochymal could be used under the FDA's expanded access treatment program (EATP) which would make the Adult Stem Cell treatment available to children between the ages of 2 months and 17 years old to receive the stem cell therapy for severe cases of GVHD.  This expanded access treatment program enables Osiris to sell their Prochymal 'at cost" to children with life threatening GVHD.

From the stem cell article:

Most of the patients have failed two to three prior treatment options and are using Prochymal as a last resort. But so far the results are extremely encouraging, with 100 day survival at approximately 60%. In early December 2008, Osiris received approval from Health Canada to allow the expanded access for Prochymal use in children in Canada.

Osiris is currently expanding its resources to be able to offer Prochymal through the EATP to adults in the U.S.

Expanding its resources to offer Prochymal?  Why do you have to "expand resources" for a product that is already made?   Is that code for "begging the FDA"?  But I digress.  This is really good news for children who may very well need stem cell treatment now and can't afford to wait for the clinical data to come in.  Of course that begs the question, why not make it available to adults too?  To not be able to offer an 18 year old suffering from Graft Vs Host Disease an Adult Stem Cell therapy (with no side effects) that may save his life seems ludicrous to me.

Adult Stem Cell Treatment for GVHD Contact Information

A reader sent me this article and he told me that the person to contact for information if you or someone you love has Graft Vs Host disease and are interested in Prochymal as an Adult Stem Cell treatment is :

Special Note: I have been kindly asked by Osiris to remove the contact information, if you are interested in this stem cell treatment for GVHD, please work through your oncologist who should contact Osiris on your behalf.

A special thank you to the reader who sent this in, you know who you are.  If you are reading this and have any special events or success stories you would like to share, please send me an email:  don@repairstemcells.org

Adult Stem Cell Treatment Heals Heart Attack

Eddie Floyd, a pet store owner had a heart attack a couple of years ago. When he was brought to the hospital, he was asked if he wanted to participate in a stem cell research clinical trial using Adult Stem Cells to help heal his heart muscle. Eddie said yes and he is happy he did. The stem cell therapy healed his heart muscle completely so there is now no sign of damage or any complications from his heart attack.

Stem Cell Video of Heart Attack Victim

The video describes a clinical trial at Austin Heart Hospital and while it doesn't mention the company, it is obviously Osiris and their "off the shelf" Adult Stem Cell product  Prochymal. This stem cell video is the future of stem cell medicine. Adult Stem Cell treatment being used right away to treat a heart attack- not waiting for 2 years and a decrease in ejection fraction by 50%.

Below, see the excellent stem cell video which tells Eddie's story. The video was created by  The Texas Alliance for Life where they are supporting the creation of an Adult Stem Cell consortium that will "put patients first" (Hallelujah!- maybe someone finally gets it) Below the video, you will find the transcription.

Heart Attack Healed by Adult Stem Cells

There are almost 1 million heart attacks per year in the United States.  Almost half are fatal.

Eddie Floyd had a heart attack a couple of years ago. He is the owner of the Bark and Pur Pet Center in Austin.

Eddie: I had a very strong pain from arm pit to arm pit so I knew what it was.  There was no doubt as to what it was.  It was extremely painful.

Dr. Roger Gammon: He developed the typical chest pain, came in, was treated in the typical way which was to open the artery and put a stent in and use all the medications we typically do.

Eddie: The doctor came in and asked if I wanted to participate in a study which uses Adult Stem Cells that came from the people's bone marrow.

Dr. Gammon: Within 10 days of that phase of the trial, he received either the stem cells or the placebo.  We know now in his case, he got the stem cells.

Eddie: I went home from the hospital and went back to living my life.  Except for going in frequently for check ups (laughter).

Narrator:  The typical heart attack occurs when an artery to the heart gets blocked.  Without blood, that part of the heart dies leaving it scarred and weaker reducing its pumping power.

Dr. Gammon: When we look at the overall function, we would talk about the ejection fraction which is the percentage of blood that pumps out each time the heart squeezes and that ejection fraction increases in people that respond.  So 3 parameters really- the size of the scar, the activity of the muscle and the overall strength of the heart.

Eddie: I didn't have to take any rejection or any rejection medicine or anything like that.  Just generic stem cells that became heart.

Dr. Gammon:  In the first 7 days after a heart attack, the heart cells that are dying are emitting homing signals, a beacon that says I need help and the stem cells are able to respond to that. We do that to a small amount anyway when we try to heal ourselves after a heart attack, but in this case we are giving the patient millions of stem cells that can recognize that homing signals and travel through the veins and travel through the lungs and make it to the heart.  And they  become myoblasts and then myocytes and then they have become truly functioning heart muscle at that point.

Eddie: And it has apparently regenerated the muscle that died during the heart attack.

Dr. Gammon: He was one of them who had complete resolution of the heart attack.  You couldn't see any evidence of damage.  He had normal heart function so he had a pretty dramatic response.

Eddie: There really isn't anything I can't do because of my heart that I am aware of.  There are a few things I can't do because of my belly (laughter), but nothing I can't do because of my heart.

Narrator:  In this study, the stem cells are harvested from healthy adults between 18-30.  All the donors can be universal donors because the cells are processed to remove elements that cause rejection.  A heart attack victim just gets the next cartridge given in an IV.  This is an incredible breakthrough.

Over 1000 patients have received these allogenic mesenchymal stem cells taken from healthy volunteers.  There were studies done for Crohn's disease, Graft Vs. Host Disease and a number  of other diseases.  In the heart study that was done there was 53 heart patients.  In the Phase 2 stem cell study, there will be 220 patients and we are dosing the second patient today.

Bills on Stem Cell Research in Texas

The Texas Legislature is considering Pro Life bills Senate Bill 73 and House Bill 2379 to promote ethical, life saving Adult Stem Cell research and treatments.  As Texans we have a choice, we can support  Adult Stem Cell research which has proven to help many like Eddie and successfully treated 1000's more with over 70 other diseases and conditions.

Or we can support Embryonic stem cell research which requires the destruction of human embryos and has yet to cure any disease.  Embryonic stem cell research is the choice of California spending $3 billion.  Their first goal is to restore function for one disease in the next 10 years.  Research has been going on for 10 years for embryonic stem cell research frequently causing tumors in lab animals.

Contrast that with adult stem cell research where doctors continue to find positive effects on even more diseases.

The Stem Cell Treatment Helped the Lungs Too

Dr. Gammon:  A lot of the patients were smokers and had chronic bronchitis and emphysema and the stem cells actually improved some of that process so over time the lungs improved in the people who got cells while it didn't improve in the patients who got the placebo. So now the company is starting a whole round of studies to treat Emphysema and the lungs with stem cells

Multiple Sclerosis Patients Improve After Stem Cell Research and Therapy

Preston Walker and Richard Humphries are shining examples of how stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells are improving lives right now. Preston and Richard were the first two Multiple Sclerosis patients to receive stem cell treatment with their own cells derived from their fat.

Stem Cell Treatment in the USA? Of Course Not

The treatment and therapy took place in May 2008 in Costa Rica and since then the duo have generously donated their time to other Multiple Sclerosis patients who were in the same boat Richard and Preston were in approximately 1 year ago.    They are also spreading the word that Adult Stem Cells can help Multiple Sclerosis now with a treatment that is simple with no side effects.

A Note From Richard Humphries -Multiple Sclerosis Adult Stem Cell Treatment

Recently Richard wrote this regarding his own stem cell therapy:

Myself and Preston Walker were the first to receive the fat cell derived stem cell treatment in hopes of leveling off our immune system which has successfully happened without the severe side effects of chemo which has shown not as successful as the adipose treatment much less the unneccessary expense.

I’m case study #1 in the paper (Multiple Sclerosis Study) just released and have had two stem cell treatments in Costa Rica where they promise nothing but deliver wonderful results. Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis patients can’t wait on historical data. Time is not on our side but stem cells improved my quality of life and the follow up MRI looks excellent.

Richard Humphries

Stem Cell Treatment Enables Police Sergeant to Patrol Again

And then Preston Walker wrote this email to another Multiple Sclerosis patient who was considering using the stem cell research and therapy that changed his life:

I received the treatment in Costa Rica in May 2008. My symptoms included fatigue, depression, a cognitive cloud, foot drop and heat intolerance. At the time I went, I was taking features , Wellbutrin XL, Provigil and Razadyne.

The only thing I am taking now is Avonex as a maintenance drug. I am free of the fatigue and depression. I still have a cognitive cloud but it is nothing like it was before the treatment!

I am a police Sergeant in Fort Worth, TX. I am assigned to patrol and wear a dark blue uniform. If it wasn't for the treatment, I don't think I would make it to retirement in a few years. I feel absolutely certain that I will continue my active lifestyle and my career.

You can read the full story on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's website (www.startelegram.com). Once you get to the homepage, click on the BLOGS link. Once the next page loads, click on My Fight with MS in the bottom right hand corner. If you will go from the beginning by looking at the May 2008 folder in the archives (left hand side of the page), you will get a better idea of my journey while in Costa Rica. I underwent the treatment with Richard Humphries who posted while we were there also.

I will not tell you I am cured, but I am virtually symptom free!! My quality of life improved exponentially after the treatment.

If I can be of any further help, don't hesitate to ask.

Preston Walker

The Debate on Stem Cell Research - Why So Much Emphasis On Cures?

Are people getting so caught up on the stem cell research issue that we are ignoring the patients who are in need of help right now? When the issue of stem cell research comes up, we always hear about promised cures. Are we so intent on 100% “cures” that we ignore stem cell treatments that are not “cures”, but do indeed help improve the quality of lives of the majority of patients right NOW. I’m sure Richard and Preston above are very happy with their results. Is their Multiple Sclerosis cured? No, it wasn’t a “cure”. Does that mean it isn’t good enough?

Why do we have to go for the homerun on every at bat, when a patient would be grateful for a single or double? Would Michael J Fox be happy if his Parkinson’s symptoms subsided for 5 years like this gentleman?

I see endless articles and letters to the editor that support state or federal taxes for Adult Stem Cell research or Embryonic Stem Cell research, but rarely do I see an article or letter promoting USING the only treatment that works now- Adult Stem Cells.  In the end, with all this hoopla, we are forgetting about what should be the reasons for the debates and research in the first place- the patients.

Remember, there are no side effects from using your own stem cells, either they help (most of the time) or they don’t (no harm done).

Perhaps we should take aim at the FDA as they are responsible for classifying a patient's own stem cells as a drug thus forcing decades of clinical trials and sentencing millions of patients to unnecessary suffering and deaths by withholding the use of something that could help improve patients'  lives with very little risks.  Preston and Richard were lucky in that they had the resources and the courage to travel outside the box that is the FDA's jurisdiction.  Millions others are not so lucky.

Stem Cell Research Trial Results for Heart Disease Patients

Dr. Amit Patel of the University of Utah is reporting that 3 out of 3 heart disease patients have improved in the initial stages of his stem cell research trial in which the cardiomyopathy patients had their own Adult Stem Cells injected back into their heart in a minimally invasive surgical procedure.

Dr. Patel presented the initial data at the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) annual meeting in San Diego, California.  The clinical research trial is treating heart patients with both ischemic cardiomyopathy and non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and then injecting them with their own Adult Stem Cells.  There is a control group in the study as well. Translation-  some patients are not getting the benefit of the stem cells and receive a placebo.

Initial Data of Patients Treated with Adult Stem Cells

Here are the results so far (from the stem cell article)-

• 3 cardiomyopathy patients who received their own stem cells were followed up at 3 months.  They all improved on their New York Heart Failure Classes- all 3 going from a Class III to a Class II.  In contrast 2 out of the 3 who didn't get stem cells , did NOT improve.


• Overall quality of life scores (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire) improved in all 3 patients who received the stem cell therapy.  The physical and emotional well-being of all the patients who received the treatment also improved.  There was no consistent trend in the control group (the group that didn't get the stem cells)

Millions Would Benefit With Use of Own Stem Cells

While these are positive results and I am happy for these patients, there are thousands of cardiomyopathy patients who are not able to receive this stem cell treatment.  Dr. Kit Arom of Vescell in Thailand, a former associate of Dr. Patel, is now treating these exact same patients with their own stem cells and none of these dilated cardiomyopathy and heart attack patients are in a "control" group ie. they are getting the exact same procedure and getting their own Adult Stem Cells that Dr. Patel's trial is doing (sucessfully).

Dr. Kit Arom has been treating heart disease patients in Thailand since 2005 with this exact same procedure- and the USA has just done 3??? Is something wrong here?

The Debate on Stem Cell Research - A Smokescreen?

While there is the endless debate on Embryonic Stem Cell research vs. Adult Stem Cell research, is the debate just some  clever smokescreen thrown up by the drug companies, FDA, and cardiologists, none of whom will benefit from heart (or name your disease)  patients using their own Adult Stem Cells to help themselves?

I'm sure the heart patients are pleased that instead of getting short of breath from getting the mail, that they are probably now able to walk around their local mall with their loved ones.

Here is an an American patient driven movement for the use of their own stem cells

And for you American doctors - here is the doctor  stem cell movement

Stem Cell Research Helps Blind Girl See

Hayley Pelletier had been legally blind since birth due to her Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. However, thanks to the wonders of stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells, these days Hayley can now see and in the words of her mother "Basically, her whole quality of life was just bumped up 110 percent."

No Medications, No Treatments, Nowhere To Go

Before the stem cell research that changed her life occurred, Hayley was learning how to read Braille and how to get around with a cane due to the Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, a leading cause of blindness in children where the optic nerve fails to develop.

Until an amazing new  stem cell treatment developed in China using cord blood stem cells, there was no drugs, no treatments that could improve Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.

Cord Blood Stem Cells- Only Treatment Available

Hayley and her mother Heather went to China for the stem cell treatment in November 2008.  And the results have been amazing.  Before, Hayley could barely only make out the difference between light and dark, but now-

1. She can now draw pictures of people on paper


2. She can identify colors easily


3. She can watch television from 3 feet away.

From the stem cell article:

"It's been incredible," Pelletier said. "Basically, her whole quality of life was just bumped up 110 percent. She's so much happier."

Her self confidence has soared, too. Pelletier managed to say a few words at a Lions Club banquet, but she admits she was intimidated by the hundreds of people in the room. Hayley wasn't.

"I brought a different child home from China. She stood on a chair and told them all about her experiences there," said Pelletier, astonished. "Then she thanked them for honoring her with their support."

Hayley Joins the Stem Cells for Optic Nerve Hypoplasia Club

Hayley now becomes the latest addition to our "club" of children who have been to China for stem cell therapy for their Optic Nerve Hypoplasia and the closely related Septo-Optic Dysplasia and then come back to the United States, UK and  Canada with better vision and other benefits to their development.

Before that there was Jakob Bielski from Canada

Just last week, we added Dakota Clarke , her mom said "It’s been worth every single penny to see the changes in her.”

A few weeks ago we added Macie Morse who can now see well enough to drive after her stem cell therapy.

And before that Coby Fend's mother said "“We are talking about going back — we’d almost be crazy not to, because right now it’s the best thing going in the entire world.”

And we also had Connor Corkern - He's doing great. He is doing wonderful. It's like we've got a totally new baby, Coye Corkern said

We had Cameron Petersen - Grandma Petersen said "There was nothing for Cameron before this treatment. Now, his world is limitless.”

Lydia Black- From her father - "the treatment is already having a huge effect on her life, and he is glad that she was able to receive stem cell treatment in China. "

Lydia Olmstead and Rylea Barlett - "After her second treatment, we started to notice a change,”

Savannah Watring - “She said hello to herself in an elevator (after seeing her reflection). It blew everyone away. We weren’t expecting that.”

Xavier Carballo- Xavier’s ophthalmologist, Dr. Jack Guggino of Tampa, said he did a baseline exam on the boy before the trip to China and after his return. He said before the treatment Xavier could only detect hand motion at 1 to 2 feet, and after the treatment he could count fingers at 3 to 4 feet.

“As far as Xavier is concerned, there has been definite and measurable improvement, neurologically and ophthalmologically,” Guggino said.

If you or someone you know has a similar condition or perhaps another disease,  please go to our Repair Stem Cell Institute website and we will provide stem cell treatment information.

No Waiting for the Stem Cell Research Debate To Finish

While the debate on stem cell research rages on, Donald Cecil couldn't afford to wait for research. Donald badly needed treatment for his heart which was damaged by a series of heart attacks. Luckily, he found a stem cell treatment, Vescell in Thailand by using his own Adult Stem Cells to heal his ailing heart disease.

Heart Attacks Damaged His Heart Muscle

In 2006, Donald had difficulty walking as multiple heart attacks had damaged his heart so his ejection fraction was only at 15%. Doctors didn't have much hope for Don to repair his heart disease. However, one doctor did mention a stem cell research and therapy in Thailand which uses the patient's own stem cells to fix the heart muscle.

Adult Stem Cell Treatment Company for Heart Disease

Don got on the internet and he found that company Theravitae, who use the Vescell adult stem cell process in Thailand and contacted them in hopes to repair his heart muscle. Don sent in his medical records and the doctors in Thailand said yes, the stem cell therapy could possibly help him.

The Adult Stem Cells did help him. In 2006, Don went to Thailand for the heart disease stem cell treatment using his own stem cells.



From Don's stem cell website:

His Doctors Back Home We’re Shocked

After the stem cell heart treatment, his doctors literally watched his heart regenerate from 15% blood ejection, to a normal working condition for someone his age! Some even admitted they have never seen anything like that before.

Don's story is wonderful in that it shows that stem cell therapy can indeed give people hope TODAY!  Don didn't want  to wait for a bunch of scientists doing stem cell research in some lab in the middle of nowhere to isolate some cells in rats to change them into this and that.   Adult Stem Cells are helping people now!

Special Note on Adult Stem Cell Therapy

If you or someone you love has had a heart attack or perhaps another disease, If you are interested,

Go to The Repair Stem Cell Institute website

Right side of page, click on STEM CELL TREATMENT NOW.

Fill out the form and click SUBMIT. You will get an immediate answer listing some more facts about stem cell treatments.

Within a few days you will get a personal answer for the medical condition you inquired about.

Stem Cell Research for COPD

Thanks to stem cell research, a Florida female smoker, Barbara Mckean who was on oxygen 24 hours per day before stem cell therapy using her own Adult Stem Cells is now OFF oxygen totally after the treatment in the Dominican Republic.

Barbara Mckean is now enjoying life after the stem cell research done by cardiologist Dr. Zannos Grekos of the Repair Stem Cell Institute helped Barbara's COPD repair the damage done in the lungs by years of smoking.

Stem Cell Video for Lung Disease and COPD

In this video, both Barbara and Dr. Zannos Grekos are interviewed about how the stem cell research and treatment helped her COPD and repair the lung disease:
Special Note: If you have trouble viewing this stem cell video, please go to this stem cell link

Stem Cell Research Video Transcript

Below, you will find the transcript of the stem cell video above for lung disease.

Host: "Regenocyte Therapeutic is a world leader in stem cell therapy. They are dramatically improving the lives of people who have been diagnosed with life altering cardiac and vascular diseases. And joining us to talk about Regenocyte Therapeutic is Dr. Zannos Grekos. He is the Director of Cardiology and Vascular Diseases and Barbara Mckean praise god - she is a stem cell therapy patient. She was treated in December 2008 for severe lung disease. She is doing fantastic. I'm so glad to have both of you here today.

Dr. Grekos: We're thrilled to be here

Host: You were here last year.

Dr. Zannos Grekos: About a year ago.

Host: And I know a lot has gone on since then. But for people just tuning in.they hear stem cell therapy they hear stem cells and politically speaking it is a hot topic, but I want to talk about the differences between what you are doing with your company Adult Stem Cells and then there are Embryonic Stem Cells. Can you give me kind of a Cliff Notes version on what's up with both of those.

Dr. Grekos: There is a big difference and that is one of the things that Regenocyte is focused on- is educating the public. Embryonic stem cells come from in-vitro fertilization clinics and that is where all the controversy is surrounding and but also these stem cells are from somebody else so there are issues with rejection and also a high risk of cancer. So the FDA and the medical community are very concerned with the use of Embryonic Stem Cells.

Host :So they really aren't embracing that?

Dr. Grekos: Exactly, not embracing it, very hesitantly looking at it. we have not done any human trials yet so we have never actually treated anybody with embryonic stem cells.

Host: Now, what is stem cell therapy exactly, cuz you are using Adult Stem Cells..

Dr. Grekos: we are using Adult Stem Cells, these cells come from the patients themselves, so they are your own cells. ANd these cells are tiny little cells that float around and they are designed to repair wear and tear and damage in our own bodies and what we do is take them out from the body with just a simple blood draw as if you are donating blood and extract out the stem cells and activate them and multiply them so we supercharge them and then we put them back into whatever organ is damaged or diseased such as heart attack or lungs in Barbara's case.

Host: Now let's talk about Barbara. Barbara tell me about your condition and what you were diagnosed with.

Barbara Mckean: I had COPD , and it was end stage. and I was on Oxygen 24/7.

Host: And you are a young woman too and to be on oxygen constantly, you are happily married, but you can't get around cuz you can't do a whole lot.

Barbara Mckean: It is very difficult

Host:And you were a smoker.

Barbara: Yes, I was a smoker.

Host: And i know a lot of you out there are saying ok I have COPD, I have some of these issues
Now tell me what happened. Your husband stumbled upon an article.

Barbara: Yes, my husband read an article about Dr. Zannos Grekos and a seminar he had. So we went to the seminar and the rest is history.

Host: So you had the procedure done and the procedure was done in November, so how long was it before you had positive effects.

Barbara: I noticed positive effects right away, I really did. I had a feeling of well being the very next day. And then 2 days before Christmas on December 23rd it was a defining moment, I woke up and told my husband and said "I don't need the oxygen!"

Host: WOW! So you were on it 24/7 and now you are not on it?

Barbara: Yes, I am not on it at all. It was reduced to 2 Liters and then completely off.

Host: I want to talk to Dr. Grekos, there are so many amazing stories like this. So what are some of the other health conditions that they are using the stem cells in?

Dr. Grekos: Some of the major conditions that we are having a lot of success with is heart disease- patients who have suffered heart damage from heart attacks, or even viruses where their hearts are enlarged we were able to regenerate the damaged heart tissue and improve the heart function. We are also able to treat senile dementia where the brain is starting to wear and tear and the stem cells will actually regenerate the blood circulation to the brain and the brains cells as well

Host: And remember everybody, these are your own stem cells.

Dr. Grekos: Yes, your own stem cells. And this is work that is being done internationally we are also doing a lot of clinical studies here in the US. But as far as availability goes, it is nice to make this available.

Special Note on Stem Cell Treatment

If you or someone you love has COPD or perhaps another disease, If you are interested,

Go to The Repair Stem Cell Institute website

Right side of page, click on STEM CELL TREATMENT NOW.

Fill out the form and click SUBMIT. You will get an immediate answer listing some more facts about stem cell treatments.

Within a few days you will get a personal answer for the medical condition you inquired about.

This service is free.

Multiple Sclerosis Cured in Canadian Patient After Stem Cell Treatment

Alex Normandin, 26, of Montreal, Canada has been cured of his Multiple Sclerosis following the implantation of his own Adult Stem Cells. The stem cell therapy was done in conjunction with a research program in Ottawa with Dr. Mark Freedman.

A medical student, Alex was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis more than 2 years ago and was distressed to learn that he had the aggressive form of MS and was on track to be in a wheelchair in a matter of months.

Process of Stem Cells for Multiple Sclerosis in Canada

Luckily, he was accepted into Dr. Freedman's stem cell research program at Ottawa General Hospital. In this stem cell program, the patient is first given chemotherapy to kill off the immune system. Then, the stem cell transplant takes place to "reboot" the immune system.

From the stem cell article:

Normandin became patient 19. His transplant took place in December 2008. It worked.

Not only does the disease appear to have stopped its progression, but Normandin says he feels his co-ordination and strength improving.

Normandin is buoyed by the treatment's eight-year track record — none of the 24 patients have suffered a relapse or a brain lesion. (The article fails to mention the one patient who died from the chemo)

Stem Cell Therapy in China Quote Remembered

Readers of this blog may remember Dr. Freedman from this Multiple Sclerosis Stem Cell post in which he commented on stem cell therapy in China:

Dr. Freedman is concerned that patients are forking over large amounts of money for unproven treatments like this, especially when there is no follow-up care or monitoring when they get home.

“It’s dangerous in the wrong hands,” he said. “The only reason these places could be in existence is to take people’s money and offer them something that’s unproven.”

I called that the "Most Hypocritical Statement So Far in 2009" then, and I will stick to that for the following reasons:

1. Chemotherapy is dangerous.  1 of Dr. Freedman's patients died while receiving it before the stem cell transplant- to call another treatment dangerous (which doesn't use chemo, by the way) is hypocritical.


2. He says the therapies are unproven and only in existence to take people's money-  however, in this article- it is revealed not only is his own treatment unproven, but it also is not free, in fact, far from free- "The trial procedure costs would be about $50,000 to $60,000 per patient."  (A reader has since wrote in and says the Canadian Government pays for this treatment)
   

Actually that cost is more than other stem cell therapies in Costa Rica and China that we have covered in here (both are around $25-30,000) and do NOT use chemo.

So for those people who say that stem cell therapy overseas is very expensive-- just look at Canada, or for that matter, look at Dr. Richard Burt's multiple sclerosis study at Northwestern University in Chicago.  The cost for one multiple sclerosis patient is $90,000

I'm directing  this at critics who always point out that overseas stem cell therapies are expensive and dangerous rather than pointing out the "arrogance" of Dr. Freedman, who as far as I can tell is truly helping Multiple Sclerosis patients although he probably shouldn't be opening his mouth about other stem cell treatments.

Stem Cell Treatment By The People, For The People

And yes, all of  these stem cell treatments in Canada, USA, Costa Rica, and China are "unproven" in the eyes of the medical world and the New England Journal of Medicine, although they all are proven in the eyes of the patients who receive the Adult Stem Cells whether they are in the form of umbilical cord stem cells (China), mixture of stem cells from the patient's fat and cord blood stem cells(Costa Rica) and/or Adult Stem Cells given in the form of a stem cell transplant after chemotherapy (Canada, USA).   They all seem to work most of the time FOR THE PATIENTS NOW and that is what is important. Making Multiple Sclerosis patients wait for 10 years or so for the endless cycle of clinical trials in the US and Canada to end just so their doctors can see the words "proven" in a study is a travesty.

The Emergence of the Internet and Self Directed Healthcare

We can ask Jason Upshaw and friends about stem cell therapy in Costa Rica. Or, we can ask Betty Helm about how stem cell therapy in China worked for her MS. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, patients now have a bigger say and more access to information than ever before.

Dr. William Davis at the Heart Scan Blog has a great post on how health care is changing. Much like stockbrokers have disappeared due to online companies like E-trade and Ameritrade, patients can now take a more self directed approach to their health thanks to the internet.