Thursday 17 January 2019

Stem Cell Research Facilities Hope To Eventually Save Numerous Lives

By Henry Robinson


Mankind has never been satisfied with accepting the status quo. From the beginning of time, man has endeavored to improve his lot and to make things easier for himself. It is only natural that great efforts have been made over the ages to conquer deadly diseases and in the process major successes have been accomplished. Diseases that killed millions of people are now treated routinely and successfully. At stem cell research facilities scientists hope to achieve the next major breakthrough.

Bone marrow transplants have been performed for a number of years, mainly on patients suffering from blood related diseases such as leukemia and other types of cancer. With these transplants, doctors hope to encourage the growth of healthy new cells to replace the ones that were killed during chemo therapy. The success rate is still questionable, however, and this surgery is only considered if all other efforts failed.

Many patients think that these transplants can lead to a cure, but this is not the case. The best scenario is that a bone marrow transplant can delay the progress of the disease and give the patient some extra time. Researchers are positive, nevertheless, that transplants will one day become a cure for various types of cancer. Unfortunately, progress along these lines is very slow and positive results are not expected soon.

It is not just a possible cure for cancer that interests researchers in this field. They think that bone marrow transplants will one day also be used to replace damaged cells in the brain itself. If this becomes possible, the terrible consequences of diseases like Alzheimer and other degenerative brain diseases could be turned back. Those suffering from physical brain damage and spine injuries will also benefit.

It is believed that bone marrow transplants will even be able to stimulate the growth of new cells within the heart itself. These new cells will repair the damage caused by various types of heart disease. Millions of people die due to heart conditions every year and significant progress in this area will offer uncountable benefits to patients and will change the way in which medicine is practiced.

Bone marrow transplants and its potential benefits are surrounded by controversy. Numerous critics, many of them renowned medical scientists themselves, say that these transplants are outright dangerous and that there is no indication that they actually benefit the patient. Critics also point out that the cells that are transplanted are routinely obtained from the umbilical cords of unborn babies. This raises serious ethical issues and paves the way for abuse.

Critics are adamant that researchers have not made any progress at all. They attract massive funding by extolling the numerous benefits that their research will eventually offer to mankind. Critics say that these benefits, if they can ever be realized at all, are many years in the future. The hype and publicity surrounding this type of research only serve to create false hope and unrealistic expectations.

Most ordinary people do not have enough information to form a balanced opinion about bone marrow transplants and its potential benefits. One can but hope that progress in this field will truly save millions of lives. It seems as if this will not be very soon, unfortunately.




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