Lately there has been a lot of talk about the safety and efficacy behind stem cell therapy. Constantly the media is feeding its viewers its interpretations of cellular medicine.  One week we hear ESPN announcing players such as Kobe Bryant and Payton Manning have undergone stem cell treatments with positive results to 60 Minutes stating stem cell therapy is fraudulent. However we wanted to inform you about the true efficacy and safety behind stem cell therapy.

The first major concern about the safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy depends on where and by whom the treatments are being performed. The center that is providing the stem cell procedure should be run by a qualified Medical Doctor, board certified in a field related to Regenerative Medicine.  Next, the center should be in a country with high healthcare standards such as the USA, Switzerland, France etc.

Secondly, for a patient to be safe depends on where the stem cells are coming from (autologous or allogeneic).  A patient should never receive stem cells from an unknown or donor source.  These are clinically referred to as Allogeneic Stem Cells.  When a patient receives donor stem cells, i.e. cord blood cells, there is a high chance of graft versus host disease. Or in simple terms your body will reject the cells because it recognizes them as a foreign substance and serious complication can occur. Clinics using stem cells from these donor sources are highly experimental and should be of a concern.

Undoubtedly the best source for stem cells are from your own body, clinically referred to as adult Autologous Stem Cells.  Stem cells can be derived from fat or bone marrow through laboratory procedures. The choice behind what stem cell to use, fat or bone marrow, depends on the application of the stem cell for the patient.  The fat cell source is typically used for cosmetic procedures such as filler. Bone marrow is the best source for pure Mesenchymal Stem Cells to be used for most procedures and is the ideal source.

Thirdly a patient should be aware of whether or not the procedure works.  It is hard to know when there is so much controversy in our media.  When a figure like Dr. Goldstein PhD on 60 Minutes refers to stem cell therapies as experiments and unproven and then Kobe Bryant saying not a big medicine, techie guy. But I know my knee feels 90 percent better makes it hard to know the truth.

Many procedures have shown tremendous results and are hardly experiments.  Here at MetroMD and in collaboration with our worldwide partners we have compiled 15+ years of clinical evidence behind proper uses of stem cells.  There have been magnificent breakthroughs in the fields of Orthopedics, Cardiology, and Internal Medicine.  Not all procedures have shown high success rates “such as cancer and HIV. We recommend thorough research and asking questions about your ailments and cell therapy before having a treatment.

Lastly, a patient should do extensive research into the clinic’s knowledge in stem cell medicine and the results behind their applications before having a treatment. We agree that there are clinics forming around the nation claiming to provide cellular therapies with little knowledge in the field and falsely claiming to treat a variety of traumatic diseases.  However there are Physicians providing evidence based cell therapies that can provide the nation with an innovative medical procedures that are globally recognized.

In 1978 we created an entire person inside a women’s womb with one fertilized stem cell during the worlds first In Vitro Fertilization. Clearly in the year 2012 we can regenerate certain areas of the body. The safety really depends on if the clinic/doctor providing the treatment has proven results with high success.

Refrences:

1. 1. “BBC ON THIS DAY | 25 | 1978: First ‘test Tube Baby’ Born.” BBC News – Home.  BBC News, 25 July 1978. Web. 11 Jan. 2012. .

1. 1. Buchsel, Patricia Corcoran., and Pamela M. Kapustay. Stem Cell Transplantation: A Clinical Textbook. Pittsburgh, PA: Oncology Nursing, 2000. Print.

1. 1. Goldstein, Lawrence. “Stem Cell Fraud: A 60 Minutes Investigation – CBS News.” Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News – CBS News. CBS News, 8 Jan. 2012. Web. 11 Jan. 2012. .

1. 1. Moore, Keith L., T. V. N. Persaud, and Mark G. Torchia. The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier, 2008. Print.

1. 1. Silverthorn, Dee Unglaub. Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach. 4th ed. San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings, 2004. Print.

1. 1. Spears, Marc J. “Kobe Bryant Q&A: Laker for Life? – NBA – Yahoo! Sports.” Yahoo! Sports – Sports News, Scores, Rumors, Fantasy Games, and More. Yahoo Sports, 19 Dec. 2011. Web. 11 Jan. 2012. .