The Pro-Life Case for Stem Cell Treatment
A significant percentage of America’s 45.6 million dog owners and 38.2 million cat owners have first-hand familiarity with state-of-the-art medical facilities for pets that rival the most sophisticated human hospitals: animal emergency centers where veterinary specialists — including neurologists, orthopedists, oncologists, and criticalists — prolong the lives of pets whose owners can afford the service. The mainstream media rarely misses a chance to point out that animal medical care in the United States is almost on par with the best in human health care. But the reality is that the level of animal medical innovation has actually surpassed that of human medicine — and mainstream media bias is partly to blame.
In 2007, my dog Sam — then 14 years old and suffering stiffness in his limbs from advanced osteoarthritis to the point that he was collapsing on the street — was deemed eligible for a procedure in which his own (autologous) stem cells would be harvested from his own fat, then injected into his weak knees to help the joints rejuvenate themselves. A sample of fatty tissue was surgically removed from Sam’s abdomen under anesthesia and FedEx’d on ice to Vet-Stem in San Diego, the leader in stem cell medicine for animals. Two days later, Sam’s cells were overnighted in vials back to the vet hospital, on ice, ready to be injected into his tired, old joints.
Just hours after the injection, Sam was able to stand and walk without falling down; within a few months, he was no longer 14 years old; he was 14 years young, with all the energy of his 10-year-old self. Vet-Stem had effectively “Benjamin Buttoned” my beloved dog. Duly impressed, I wanted to know: could my husband, say, get the same treatment for his knees? The answer, I would learn, is no — at least, not in the United States, because FDA approval of stem cell clinical trials is on indefinite hold. Still, it’s a question Dr. Bob Harman, Vet-Stem’s founder, hears all the time:
Vet-Stem has received hundreds of comments in the past few years from dog owners lamenting that they cannot get the same treatment that their pets are getting. They also ask frequently for recommendations of where to go to get treated overseas. After Nightline did a story on Vet-Stem, many of the comments on the ABC Web site were from people who were frustrated that pets could get stem cells and they could not. I believe our data are helping people understand that adult stem cells from fat tissue really work. Our client veterinarians have treated over 6,000 animal patients with great success and great safety.
That’s no small figure, and it’s the more impressive considering the many similarities between dog DNA and human DNA. My dog’s positive outcome — the procedure bought Sam three years of quality life; he never collapsed again, and died this year at 17 of complications from advanced age – motivated me to ask Vet-Stem for the overseas treatment recommendation, just in case it should ever be needed. It turned out to be the Institute of Cellular Medicine, a state-of-the-art clinic run by American scientist-entrepreneur Neil Riordan, founder of Arizona’s Medistem, with headquarters in Costa Rica and Panama City. Since 2006, some 400 patients, most of them Americans, have been treated at Riordan’s clinic for arthritis, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and spinal injuries. The Institute does not use embryonic stem cells; instead, it uses only adult (autologous) cells from patients’ own fat and bone marrow, and donated umbilical cord blood.
But on June 2 of this year, Reuters — the news agency with a reputation for displaying bias in its controversial cropping of photographs — broke the “news” that the Institute of Cellular Medicine had been ordered by the government of Costa Rica to stop offering treatment because “there is no proof that it is effective,” and that the clinic was closing its doors. Except that’s not what happened: The choice to close on June 4 was made by Riordan; he was not “ordered” to shut down, he was consolidating his practice at the Panama City location, the Stem Cell Institute, which had just undergone reconstruction. Says Riordan:
Two spinal cord injury patients were treated at the Cima Hospital in Costa Rica by doctors from the Institute of Cellular Medicine; after one of them was featured on a local news channel, Costa Rica’s Minister of Health sent a letter to Cima Hospital telling them to stop doing “experimental stem cell treatments.” The hospital and Institute both contend that the treatments were administered under informed consent and not experimental. … Because of the position of the Minister of Health, and the fact that the parent company in Panama had just completed its new laboratory with increased capacity, the company closed its facility in Costa Rica.
Maria Luisa Avila, Costa Rica’s health minister, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “This isn’t allowed in any serious country in the world.”Reuters printed her opinion without a rebuttal.
But Avila’s statement is not accurate, unless she considers Spain to be a less-than-serious country; in August 2009, almost a year ago, the Stem Cell Unit of Madrid’s La Paz University Hospital had already completed a clinical trial using adipose-derived adult stem cells on recruited patients.
And in late April, just five weeks before the closing of the Costa Rica clinic, the Vatican — which opposes embryonic stem-cell research for the obvious reason that it involves the destruction of human fetuses — announced its strong support of a new international project for adult stem-cell research. The project is led by the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, which established a consortium of researchers from several Italian health institutes, including the Vatican-owned Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome.
Abortion is sacred to the left.They never let facts get in their way.
Look at dolly the first “clone”, her creator left the U.K. to go to Japan to work on adult stem cells (they are predictable). THE creator will let us play with embryonic with little or no results. He will(has leukemia etc.) play with adult stem cells with success.
I am curious as to how it took only two days to turn fat cells from your pet into cell to rejuvenate you dogs leg joints which I would assume were the failings of muscles and tendons.
I know there is great progress with adult stem cells and have followed it closely. The media and others seem intent on our condoning the destruction of human embryos for science. I do wonder though, at the two day turn around for altering fat cells into stem cells that you attest to in the story of your dog.
Those in the United States who are fighting for ethics in the biomedical field would not be well served if these stories were nothing but “snake oil” tales . I hope no one is taking advantage of those people who are desperate for cures and the extension of life for themselves and the others they love.
http://www.stemcellresearch.org/ Do no Harm the Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics.
Lynn,
Having secondary progressive MS leaves life without much life especially
after trying everything offered in the US. After going basically bedridden
I took a chance with stem cells and received a much improved quality
of life. Not all stem cell clinics are the same but the one after much study
is Dr. Riordan’s of Panama. He has the most stringent requirements.
No snake oil with him if someone fully researches his success.
Richard Humphries
I too have MS and as my disease is escalating, stem cell therapy may be the only way I have of having a continuing quality of life that does not exist with present treatment. I know Richard Humphries and I am familiar with his MS experience and know of his exceptional results in Costa Rica. That therapy should not be abandoned. Rather, it should be embraced and expanded. Realizing that I have a personal stake in stem cell therapy, I look at stopping stem cell therapy as an epitaph for people abandoned by those who would refuse my right to try and save my quality of life. I began my adult life as a professional baseball player, but had to quit for unknown medical reasons. 30 years later, I was diagnosed with MS. Please post my support for stem cell therapy any where it may be used to advance the cause.
You assume incorrectly. Joint failure is usually a problem with the cartilage between the bones. On one hand, three days sounds a bit fast. On the other hand, dogs weigh a lot less than do humans, and their joints are smaller.
I believe if all the facts were available we would see huge amounts of money–generating the power to control the media–all tied to the abortion industry, big pharma, and, of course, left-wing politicos. It’s all about money.
You and I both started out as a couple of little cells–tiny, but indescribably complex. By the time our mothers became aware of our existence, our little bodies were busy growing–but they were OUR little bodies. If our mothers had opted to end their pregnancies, the abortion industry would have lulled them into believing you and I were just little clumps of cells and they were dealing with their bodies–but it would have been YOUR little heart stopped, MY little arms and legs and torso ripped apart and flushed down a drain or discarded in the trash bin. My life has been worth more than that–how about you?
We are a nation deserving of God’s judgement. I’m praying for His mercy and help for us instead. Join me?
There is a significant Satanic presence in our government-media complex. (Thus the constant drumbeat of “Catholic priests are always guilty of sex abuse; but if a Satanist is accused, it’s a witch hunt!”) They don’t just want abortion available; they want it increased. It’s a spilling of blood that delights them.
Abortion is simply the last barricade, the real goal of the left is the complete de-sanctification of human life. Once human life is no longer scared the ‘progressives’ are free to implement their goal of ‘One Globe’, ‘One Folk’ und ‘Ein Fuhrer’!!!!
Some humorous pro-life cartoons at http://drawfortruth.wordpress.com/category/pro-life/
Adult stem cell therapy is happening here in the US. One of my coworkers is fighting Non-Hogkins Lymphoma. In the next few weeks, he will receive adult stem cells from his own body as part of a bone marrow transplant. Traditional chemotherapy has caused his cancer to go into remission but there is a 90% chance it will come back for the third time. With the adult stem cell treatment, the chances drop to 10%. This therapy has been approved by his insurance carrier so it must be beyond the experimental stage.
Adult stem cell treatments hold great potential for curing illnesses. As the InstaPundit would say, “Faster please.”
The Good Lord gave every living woman enough spare reproductive cells to populate a large city, and every living man enough spare reproductive cells to populate the earth. There is no disrespect toward Him or us involved if we to use spare cells to explore the marvels He laid down in our bodies. The scientists I know sometimes even call themselves “athiests” or “agnostic” because they disrespect ignorant preachers, but they one and all have a bone-deep awe for the Something that ordered creation. Their exploration of the mechanisms of life is reverent.
That’s a totally separate question from a decision to terminate the process that leads to a baby.
And, the ethical questions surrounding the eventual production of human beings through artificial means from the cellular stage have already been explored. Anyone who wants to know what a true scientific/ethical response to the question of “What do you call a human individual produced by artificial means from a person’s cells (without his knowledge or consent)?” can find the answer is a series of books by Lois McMaster Bujold known as the Vorkosigan saga.
Didn’t bother to read a single word in the article, did you.
Or maybe it was just a comprehension problem.
I think stem cell research could be important for so many things, i.e. #7.
I do not in any way believe a national election should be based on abortion or stem cell. Many Democrats belong to a church that strictly ..well I guess most say ..abortion is a sin, yet pro-choice is part of their platform..
I’ve asked Democrat friends/family about this. I am told there are things that are more important. These are “staunch” church going people,church on Saturday and possibly Sunday, religion classes , the bake sale, the ladies aux etc.
….They go against their religion, not the prejudice.
I think they made the right move to not vote Dem, but it had nothing to do with abortion.
I still struggle with voting…I think both sides are wrong.
I should have clarified..
The Democrats that I am talking about…alll….voted Republican in the last presidential election, and it was based on the color of Obama’s skin, nothing more. Abortion issues never crossed their minds.
I read about adult stem cells restoring vision now this. How wonderful. Rejection should not be a problem since it’s the person own cells. Let get the message out but don’t depend on the government for advncement let the capatilst system bring it to fruition. Thank goodness for adult stem cells
As a Pro-Choice Republican I have been called a murderer and have experienced verbal attacks in the midst of Republican meetings. There is little display of so-called Christian values, good manners, or grace during such attacks. An elderly friend who has been an Episcopalian for more than 80 years has stated.”Today’s Christians give Christianity a bad name.”. I agree with her and the more I hear their rants, the more I am determined to follow my own belief…that a few cells do not constitute a person.
I have read mail begging that Republicans allow investigation of treatment of diabetes and other diseases fom relatives of people having a specific disease. The always so sanctimonious Republicans never change or even modify their stance.
I shall become an Independent soon. Although other candidates may never be elected, I hope resignations from the GOP will make the point that many people are disgusted with that party.
Didn’t quite read the article, did you? It points out how adult stem cells taken from a person’s own fat work much better than embryonic stem cells. Thank God the “sanctimonious” Republicans (as well as the “Christians who give Christianity a bad name”) have been doing what they can to stop us from going down the useless road of embryonic stem cell research.
All those begging letters from people with sick loved ones? Embryonic stem cells are going to do nothing for them. It doesn’t become good science just because Christians protest it.
And if you believe that a few cells do not constitute a person, I trust I can count on your help to stop the brutal, psychotic practice of partial-birth abortion?
I highly doubt that the Episcopalian you quote, actually was a Christian.
As to you being called a murder. The truth hurts, doesn’t it.
An embryo is not a human being — it is only a potential human being. To assert that it has a right to go on developing — which means, the right to the use of another person’s body, against their will and without their permission — is to grant to a mere potential some sort of right that trumps the rights of an actual human being, namely the pregnant female. Such a notion is irrational.
A potential and an actual are two completely different things. What we have the *potential* to become does not determine our rights. Every living human being has the *potential* to become a corpse, but it would be wrong to argue that this justifies burying someone who is still alive. The idea that an embryo has rights just like a human being is also wrong and for the same reason.
Nature has imposed on the female the risk of becoming pregnant and having to carry a child to term, then spend years as a virtual slave to the child’s needs, every time she engages in intercourse — for no form of contraception is infallible. Modern abortions eliminate this risk and put the woman on equal footing with the man in terms of being able to enjoy intercourse without worry. Outlawing abortions negates this and is thus an instance of the law imposing a penalty on a citizen based purely on their gender.
Nothing justifies this. Women have just as much right to the control of their bodies as do men. An embryo is not a human being, and it does not possess the right to the use of the woman’s body against her will. Removing and killing it is not an act of murder.
Not very ‘nuanced’.
The embryo may only be a potential ‘person’ (legally/philosphically), but it is an *actual* human being, in a way that neither ova, sperm or skin cells are — it has its own distinct, unique, and complete genetic identity. It *will* be a person, barring some disruptive problem.
So while it may make sense to not value it as much as that adult woman, the embryo is NOT value-less. Which should lead to important questions like the ethical weight given to the embryo’s future life as another person, versus the convenience of the mother.
The ‘against her will’ argument is also not a slam dunk by any stretch — barring rape, the embryo *was* brought into existence by the woman’s actions, intentionally or not. You don’t get to skip paying for repairs another driver’s car you hit just because it was a genuine accident, do you? It’s called responsibility.
Re read the article (or, perhaps, read the article). Fetal stem cells have a habit of colonizing their host and trying to grow into a fetus. They do a poor job of it as they are trying to do this in places a fetus has no business being. For practical purposes, this is cancer. (ex-ref, Google “tasmainian devil cancer”, not the same, but close enough.)
I doubt you’re really a Republican. And I’ve never seen behavior such as you’ve described. I think you’re just trying to make trouble.
One of the most disgusting practices of embryonic stem cell research is the concept of the “chimera” in which human embryos are mixed with animal components and allowed to develop for a couple of weeks. These half-man/half-animals are an abomination. Unfortunately the NIH would rather support these experiments instead of supporting ongoing clinical trials that use adult stem cells to help patients today in the United States.
THE WORK AT THE INSTITUTE FOR CELLULAR MEDICINE WAS PUBLISHED BY SOME OF THE TOP MEDICAL JOURNALS…I AM SHOCKED THAT NO ONE IS MENTIONING THIS
I agree with you completely and looking into that “mad” world it makes me realize how this earth is not in the hands of the righteous. How anyone could learn what they are doing to life and think that they care one iota about the sick and dying is beyond me. If you don’t care about the “littlest of these” how could you care about anyone or anything except yourself? In my opinion the lack of coverage for the success of adult stem cell research is an indication that a darker force is at work here, wanting us to accept that human embryos are to be used for medical research and we should not be questioning the moral implications this research presents to the entire human race.
In April 2008 I basically went bedridden resulting from Secondary Progressive
Multiple Sclerosis. After exhausting everything the US had to offer I went
down to Costa Rica for a stem cell treatment. With the lack of coordination,
over 600 seizures, loss of cognition, fatigue, loss of hearing, numbness in feet and hands, muscle stiffness, tremendous pain, stumbling with occasional
falls, using a cane and even my wife was forced into feeding me, I flew to Cell Medicine. Being the first patient to receive the adipose-treatment
along with umbilical cord stem cells my quality of life is only 85% improved.
As a CHRIST-FOLLOWER I would not have flown to Costa Rica for a treatment if
embryonic stem cell were even being offered. Dr. Neil Riordan from Kansas, the president of the Panama Clinic assured me they were not. After getting to
know him I soon realized he has the highest standards in the world. No wonder my brother, who spent over 1000 hours checking out all the world’s clinics and studies recomended only Dr. Riordan and his clinics.
Blessings,
Richard Humphries
I also have MS and was able to get stem cell treatment in Costa Rica. It was very much by informed consent. The physicians make sure you know everything and it is not experimental at all. Unless you consider it experimental in the sense that nothing else has helped. I can show you videos of how I can lift my legs and walk almost normal now. It was not embryonic or I would not have gone through with it. Costa Rica is a Catholic country and I am also. Unfortunaltely I do not have children so my pets are literally like my children and I get them any kind of medical care they need. Are human beings not as equally important? I am a nurse and have taken care of MS patients who are bedridden. It breaks my heart professionally and personally to see people suffer when there is hope. Years ago there was not this opportunity that several of us have been blessed to be able to have. However, there are countless amounts of MS suffers worldwide who have not been able to get this. I would love to go before any governmental committee to speak to them and show them first hand and through videos, my experiences, and what other people have said about the differences in me since I had the treatment. It is ethical and on the cutting edge of medicine. Believe me, as a Christian and a professional, I would never under any circumstance compromise the sanctity of life for anything. I do not understand why we can not have this simple procedure in the USA since it has been shown to work. Naysayers will say that it is not regulated and there is only anecdotal testimony.It is easy to say if you haven’t experienced the difference. I would be glad to talk to anybody about this. When you have walked 24/7 like you have Mad Cow Disease and then it is now almost normal, you have to consider this.
I personally met Dr. Riordan and he is a very professional and ethical man. If there were more doctors that thought like him, we would have a better healthcare system. He was helping people with spinal cord injuries before they moved the operation to Panama. Do you know what it is like to have a spinal cord injury? I have had to catheterize male patients who have had these kinds of injuries and teach them how to do that so they can urinate. It will be that way for the rest of their lives UNLESS they are allowed to have this treatment. It makes them feel like they are not a man. Would you want that feeling? 30 something year old men feeling like that.
Thanks for listening,
Michelle Hawks
It is all too often that pioneers in a field of study are persecuted. The work of Dr. Neil Riordan is an example. He has defined cellular therapy as a way of treating cancer, having a patent issued to him last week on a procedure that has been used in treatment of hundreds of people. Dr. Riordan’s contributions to cell therapy are seen by the success of his patients.
If you watch the numerous previously uncurable patients talking about the recoveries they have had after being treated in costa rica or in Panama, you will see that he deserves a Nobel Prize.
Thank you for this unbiased article
Ron
I believe in Stem cells from someones own bone marrow and or blood/fat to treat all kinds of diseases. Everyone assumes hey are embronic but if it’s not and you save people from beng sick that makes sense. I always believed God gives us everything we need to heal ourselves. He never said it was going to be easy just worth it!!!
I also have M.S. and have been to the clinic that was in Costa Rica. I have seen so much improvement from the stem cells. I have three kids and was unable to go outside and spend that much time with them, I was in pain, had vision problems, and I needed a change. I got that change when I received my adult stem cell treatments. Dr. Riordan is a wonderful man who has worked hard to help others. I am extremely glad I had the procedures done and I would not change anything. I have also started a non profit to raise money to help others pay for the same procedure. We are just starting but the site is http://www.againforstem.org
You can also read about my procedures and also see pictures at http://www.freewebs.com/angelaadcox
We should not associate with evil or try and justify deriving some good from it. We should not take donations from the mafia “enforcer” to build a hospital; We should not use the data from the concentration camps human experiments…Put another way, it is probably bad to deal with the “devil”.
My sister has battled M.S. for 23 yrs. doing every treatment that has been avalible here. She was steadily declining over the years. She received non embronic stem cell treatment in March from Dr. Riordans wonderful staff of Drs. and nurses, she has felt better then she has in years more energy,stamina and walking without her cane! We are so greatful for the improvements. More people need to be able to benefit from this wonderful treatment. It changes lives!
The efforts of the media to suppress adult stem cells are very blatant.
Drugs are evaluated based on how far they have gone through clinical trials. There are three phases of clinical trials. In the first Phase, the safety of the drug is tested. In the second phase the ability of the drug to induce a therapeutic benefit is tested in a non-blinded manner, meaning that there is a possibility of a placebo effect since the patient knows they are taking a new medicine. The last part of clinical trials is phase III in which placebo controls are used.
Adult stem cells IN THE USA are in Phase III clinical trials
Embryonic stem cells are not even in Phase I
Adult stem cells have been demonstrated in European Phase III trials to elicit positive effects.
Outside of the US clinics such as the Stem Cell Institute are offering patients the opportunity to take stem cells, but make it very known that no promises of cures are made.
One can see the rationale of why the anti-life mass media is against adult stem cells…they offer the abilty to cure diseases without taking human life.
Also if patients are able to get stem cell therapy in places like Germany and they get better, then the patients will demand of the politicians to stop supporting pro-death embryonic stem cells and this will shut down the powerful lobby that has developed.
There are many hidden agendas in the area of stem cells. This article must be commended for being brave enough to expose the truth
Jon
I have had MS for 23 years, now secondary progressive. I had fatigue, cognitive, spasticity, tingling, numbness, gait issues and used a cane or wheel chair, after having so many falls. I have gone to Costa Rica to have Dr. Riordan’s clinic give me (adult) stem cell treatment. He is an upstanding brilliant doctor, that has the same values as myself. I was given professional and informative care. I can assure you that my faith and belief, would not allow one to suffer for my benefit.
My energy and stamina has returned. No more fatigue and I’m walking without a cane or wheel chair. I have no regrets and would do it all over again.
I have also been one of the LUCKY ones to receive stem cells at Neil Riordans Clinic.
Before, I was BED BOUND AND HOUSE BOUND most days, I had horrible cognitive problems and was unable to even do most daily LIVING activities. Exhaustion was my middle name.
After going to Costa Rica I now am feeling SO much better. I am able to do ALL that I want/need to do. I am NOT reliant on others for care. I walk for 30 minutes everyday, I clean and do laundry and have even been able to go back to work. My cognitive abilities are so strong I am back in a “prestigious” position of my work. I can socialize with friends that I havent seen in 8 years. Placebo? I think not.
Amazing and simply a God Send? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.
I got my life back, and a BIG thank you to Neil for that…if NOT for him I do not know where I would be. THANK YOU NEIL for helping me find LIFE AGAIN!
My wife was diagnosed with MS 12 years ago. It is indescibable the deteriation of life that happens to a person resulting from this disease. I’m writing here as a husband not as a MS patient. So, I won’t address the physical but, the effects on others. My wife’s living is so drastically different than prior to MS. Loved one’s, children, grandchildren, friends, church involvement, career associates, etc. Meeting people, activities and on and on and on.
We went to Costa Rica, after much research and exhaustive references she decided Dr.Rioran’s treatment was the one to undergo. The results were definitely positive. Beginning with the smallest of movements and releases to old abilities gradually renewed. Each realized improvement was a beacon. The condition of my wife prior to the treatment was physical nonfunctioning of even the basics. Since being treated, much has changed. Mental abilities have improved, and attitude, although has always been positive and enduring, has improved. We will eventually return for another treatment.
ISSCR is on a “witch hunt” to close all stem cell clinics (the good and bad) and have targeted this clinic as well as others. The story that was discussed here with the quote by the Costa Rican minister of health was seeded in part by their PR machine. If you’re an MS patient that wants access to this type of therapy, then get behind ICMS (www.cellmedicinesociety.org), a professional society that wants to apply guidelines to improve patient safety and allow doctor’s to continue treating patients with safe stem cell therapy. Many of these patients have no other choice. If you’re an MS patient, get involved in http://www.stemcellpioneers.com, a patient group opposing ISSCR’s “witch hunt”. If you don’t get involved, Panama is a stauch US ally, so guess what will hapopen to this clinic as ISSCR gets more of the media to buy into the concept that stem cell clinic=evil fraud?
I thought the U.S had the greatest health care around the world.
That other countries systems are crap .
So Americans go to other countries for superior treatments?
The US is best _overall_ for many routine treatments. Other countries place fewer barriers in the way of new drugs and treatments. Sometimes good, sometimes it’s bad (note “thalidomide”).
A notable bit of foolishness is how the FDA requires an entirely new set of experiments before approving a drug or treatment for use in the US. Tests and experience outside the US mean nothing to the FDA, so we are not exactly “cutting edge”.
Having been in the medical field for decades I can tell you the US
in some areas give excellent care. With autoimmune and other types of
diseases the US is years behind. To much politics and pharma. monies.
Richard
richard/newscaper
I work in the N.H.S in the U.K. We were dragged into your debate .When i tried to explain our system all i got was abuse .
It’s the first time i have seen Americans recognising that the U.S may lag
behind any other countries healthcare.
This is refreshing.
God has given us a brain along with intelligence for we are commanded to help our fellow man through our given knowledge and abilities.
Every medical discovery had skeptics, and that is not necessarily a bad thing, implying all facets should be examined, which gives birth to the word RESEARCH. Please note that I am a degreed Biologist, with a healthcare specialization.
Embryonic stem cells are not the only source of stem cells, and people need to be educated on that aspect. Case in point, without research, we would’ve never discovered stem cells sources, such as cord blood and adipose. Hopefully with more research, new sources of stem cells will be discovered.
As a country, as a human race, research should continue along with stem cell treatment availability, especially within our USA! Let’s not put on political blinders guided by the almighty dollar, but let our eyes and hearts be receptive to new ideas and treatments.
Perhaps the life saved by stem cell treatment will be YOUR child, grandchild, spouse, and parent or loved one.
May God Bless You All with skilled Doctors, researchers, nurses, and facilities, to provide the necessary care and treatment, so you can get back on the path of health and wellness, because stem cell treatment works!
I have had MS for 32 known years but believe it has been more like 37 years. I went to Costa Rica in November and no time did anyone tell me it was a cure. They tell you this right upfront, so I went with my eyes wide open. Before I went I was unable to get out of a chair without help. I couldn’t stand long enough to brush my teeth and had trouble taking two steps. I am in a doucumentry for ICM showing that after having the stem cell treatment, I could stand up not just once but 10 times in a row. I have film of me in my apartment that I stayed in for treatment, walking behind the wheelchair. Am I completely cured no, but I am able to walk only using someones arm as balance or with a cane. I am still not able to walk as far as I want yet but it will come about Do I think I need another treatment, yes I do. There are a lot of nerves that have been damaged and need help to grow. If I wouldn’t have been able to go to CR to at least see what they had to offer, I’d still be sitting here wondering, “what if?” I firmly believe in the power of stem cell medicine.
I am convinced that the fight over preferring embryonic stem cells is driven by the leftists’ need to defend the flanks of abortion-at-will.
Once you grant that an embryo has *any* moral/ethical worth in its own right, is not ‘just a blob of tissue’, is not nothing, then the pro choicers are left very weakened.
This article is to benefit so many with adult stem cells and not an embryonic stem cell debate. That is not what it is about.
Richard
Adult stem cell therapy is also common enough in Australia that it is used for cancer treatment, and they give remission estimates on par with “standard” treatment – and Australia’s version of the FDA is almost as strict. Embryonic stem cell use and research is banned. Adult, usually autologous, stem cell treatment is considered the first line of defense for a number of cancers.
If we dumb nanny state Aussies can figure it out (sarcasm – Aussies tend to IGNORE nanny state proclamations or make them unenforceable) what’s stopping the US? (Yes, I’m being facetious.)
I am so fortunate to have even found out about the Stem cell Clinic.
I am saddened by the lack of knowledge from others, above. I was fortunate enough to meet Richard Humphries who took HIS time and HIS knowledge and shared it with me regarding the WHOLE process of Stem cells. He took special care and had such kindness with me.
I cannot and will never forget his encouragement.
If not for him, I never would be at the functioning level I am today.
Without more people sharing their recovering stories I do not feel I would have had the opportunity to LIVE LIFE again. I cannot imagine what would have happened had Richard not come to my rescue. Its important for all of us to make sure we are educated and understand that Adult stem cells ARE of GREAT help. For me it was “IT”, after nearly over 1 decade and 100 doctors in the US I found that I could receive stem cells through Richard. 1 DECADE? 100 DOCTORS? And one trip and stem cells CHANGED MY LIFE.
Thank God for you Richard and your leap into faith through God. If not for you and helping to spread the word who knows where myself and many many other would be.
I am a retired physician who has known Richard Humphries(see comments above from him) since we were kids. When Richard reached the point of barely being able to walk because of his MS, it thrilled me that he had decided to go to Costa Rica, his last hope for help, as the MS medicines were no longer of benefit. Am I a believer in stem cell therapy?, without any doubt. I have seen Richard return to not only walking but also running. He has returned to his love of playing golf and shooting sub-par rounds again. More importantly, his ability to think and express himself have returned to normal. His seizures may occur rarely now but they are minor in intensity and better than the 400 per month he was having before his therapy. Amazingly, some of the hearing frequencies he lost have returned. In short, Richard’s life has returned to about ninety percent normal, if not better. I have met Dr. Riordan and he is a brilliant and caring individual. There are many physicians that feel stem cell therapy should be used in this country. Research can only be done with private donations. It is time for Americans to speak up and take the politicians out of medicine. Embryonic stem cells do not have to be used. That is the point that most people are missing. Adult stem cell therapy research should be allowed and it is time that distinction is made. Caring about the human being, relieving suffering, and improving one’s quality of life is what medicine should be. I have witnessed too many people who were against something change their minds in an instant when someone in his or her family was involved. We should not judge. We should all have the right to decide what is best for each of us.
Adult stem cells are being used successfully in Panama City under Dr. Neil Riordan’s direction to help people who are suffering from MS, autism, spinal cord injuries and other afflictions. And yes thankfully there are doctors in the US who are using them for certain conditions. Hopefully more doctors will be brave enough to face the huge influence of the drug companies and will study the use of this new, natural treatment and see the impact this treatment offers. It’s going to happen eventually, so these hesitant doctors are going to be out of the loop if they don’t at least show some open-mindedness.
I enjoyed all the comments on the t-cell therapy. I can see where it has greatly helped several people with ms. what I would like to know is would it do anything fir copd?