So now that stem cells have cured someone with a fatal disease - now can we use them?

Question

Or is this still a problem with the religious folks.

Answer 1

"Religious people" and other ethicists have NEVER had problems with using stem cells... EXCEPT... embryonic stem cells (that means stem cells from embryos, BTW). This child was helped with cord blood and bone marrow stem cells, not embryonic. And this is not the first serious illness helped by stem cells that were not embryonic. In fact, there have been NO cures from embryonic stem cells.

So just what was your point again?

Answer 2

His type of treatment is fda approved and has been for many years.  Its called a stem cell transplant, which is the medically correct term for a bone marrow transplant.  It can be done using marrow (as the marrow itself are stem cells), peripherial blood stem cells (they are a type of white blood cell) or cord blood.  They are all hematopoetic stem cells (blood stem cells)

The patient goes through high dose chemo and full body radiation called irradiation (they are irradicating the existing marrow).  The stem cells are then infused the same as any other blood product, make their way to the bones and engraft.

This transplant is used to treat leukemias, lymphomas, myleomas, a few other blood diseases such as sickle cell and a few others.  It is also being used to treat every auto immune disorder we have, and may be the cure to aids.  It can also be used in conjunction with another organ transplant to give the patient a chance to come off the anti rejection meds.

Answer 3

Whom stem cells cured?

Did you see it, or just in a newspaper or TV.

Answer 4

Note that the article reads umbilical cord-which can be harvested from birthed babies, NOT embryonic stem cells which are harvested from killing babies.

Answer 5

It would be nice if we could wouldnt it? I was born deaf in one of my ears so i sure could benefit from it!