Recently I read a very interesting article on biotechnology, specifically on the use of a new type of technology that mimics the functioning of vital organs such as the lung, heart, or brain and that could be effectively used to test new medications. The article basically concluded that this innovative method could be better and more effective than using a traditional petri dish or even experimenting on animals.
Pharmaceutical companies consistently lose millions of dollars every year in research studies that often fail. In most cases, problems usually arise in the early phases of the study, in which companies must clearly demonstrate that the new drug is safe and performs to high standards. After investing millions of dollars in designing the study and recruiting clinical research teams etc., the “new promise” yields negative side-effects, resulting in the project being ultimately canceled and the millions of dollars invested in such research endeavor being completely wasted.
Last year, I wrote an article on how we can potentially culture (or farm) stem cells in order to simulate an organ instead of sacrificing laboratory animals or using petri dish samples. Stem cells have the amazing capability to transform into multiple tissues, a feature called pluripotentiality. Unfortunately, pharmaceutical companies and research-oriented universities continue to turn away from the potential of stem cells, particularly to conduct research studies and I often ask myself:
“Why is that?” Among some of the possible answers, we can mention the refusal of the Supreme Court of the United States to allow companies to patent human cells, which basically eliminates the possibility of exclusivity from other distributors. Another probable reason is that stem cells cannot be concentrated into a pill, which proves to be more of a hassle to produce and thus, often also less cost-effective.
While research on stem cells is relatively new (which basically limits our overall knowledge), several other factors tend to complicate matters even further, particularly the fact that there is not just one type of stem cell. Aside from the stem cells in our body, there are also cells found in the placenta, umbilical cord blood, and embryo (a type of stem cell which we do not use and that also often carries a lot of moral & religious related stigma).
At the moment, I strongly continue working with the concept of pluripotentiality of adult autologous stem cells, and often marvel at seeing the incredible improvements in thousands of my patients, many of which first came to me with problems seemingly “unsolvable” by modern medicine.Take the example of Mary M, with problems in both knees since 2000, who had arthroscopic surgery in 2004 with no positive resolution. Mary refused knee replacement surgery and was at a loss until she heard of stem cells through some of my articles.
She came to see me in April of this year and decided to use her own marrow and fat cells in a transplant. Seven months later, Mary is still amazed by the incredible improvements in both her knees and also in the tendons around them. Today, she is almost 95% improved, and is now able to walk, climb stairs, and even do daily chores & activities at home that she was unable to perform for the last 10 years. Her husband is also extremely pleased with her results and very grateful to see her so happy!
For more information or if you want a consultation with StemCell Miami, call us at (305) 598-7777. Visit:www.stemcellmia.com