There are many medical conditions that used to be a certain death sentence but that can now be treated or managed. Conditions such as certain types of cancer, HIV, tuberculosis, hypertension and many others are now routinely cured or kept under control. Massive investments is made to develop new medicines and to investigate the potential of new technologies in the medical field. Stem cell therapy, specifically, and its many potential benefits has particularly excited scientists and the public alike.
Bone marrow transplants have been performed for the past thirty years, albeit on a rather small scale. The majority of recipients are cancer patients suffering from leukaemia or lymphoma. They routinely receive chemotherapy but unfortunately the chemicals kills indiscriminately. Bone marrow transplants are used to introduce new, healthy cellular material that will boost the immunity of the patient and encourage the growth of new bone marrow.
Although bone marrow transplants are currently almost exclusively performed on cancer patients, much research is being done regarding the potential uses for this procedure. Many experts are convinced that bone marrow transplants will prove to be one of the most revolutionary treatment methods ever developed for a wide variety of conditions. Astonishing results have been achieved but so far only in controlled conditions and by using animals during experiments.
Much research is being conducted in the potential of bone marrow transplant with patients that suffers from conditions that cause degeneration of the brain. It is believed that the damage suffered by stroke victims and those with with Parkinson and Alzheimer disease or brain injuries will be reversible in the future. Even the effects of serious damage to the spinal cord will be reversed in future.
Another area of focus for research into bone marrow transplants is the treatment of various heart conditions. It is believed that it will become possible to use transplants to stimulate the growth of new heart muscles and tissue, to grow new blood vessels inside the heart and to aid in the recovery process after open heart surgery. It will still be some years, however, before humans will be able to benefit from this research.
Research in this field has many enemies. Some argue that it will lead to unethical medical practices because it is not only bone marrow that is used but also the blood from the umbilical cords of unborn babies. They also point out that patients are almost sure to die if their bodies reject the transplanted materials. The risks involved in the use of this technology are simply too high, they argue.
Critics also point out that donor material is not only harvested from bone marrow. It is also obtained from the blood in the umbilical cords of unborn babies. This, say the critics, opens the doors for abuse and unethical practices. They also accuse practitioners in this field of making false promises to patients simply because they know that many patients will pay the exorbitant cost of these procedures out of desperation.
Most experts agree, however, that in time this form of treatment will prove to be an enormously beneficial breakthrough in the treatment of a very wide variety of medical conditions. It is only a matter of time before it becomes commonplace. Ongoing research is discovering more and more potential for finding revolutionary ways in which to treat disease.
Bone marrow transplants have been performed for the past thirty years, albeit on a rather small scale. The majority of recipients are cancer patients suffering from leukaemia or lymphoma. They routinely receive chemotherapy but unfortunately the chemicals kills indiscriminately. Bone marrow transplants are used to introduce new, healthy cellular material that will boost the immunity of the patient and encourage the growth of new bone marrow.
Although bone marrow transplants are currently almost exclusively performed on cancer patients, much research is being done regarding the potential uses for this procedure. Many experts are convinced that bone marrow transplants will prove to be one of the most revolutionary treatment methods ever developed for a wide variety of conditions. Astonishing results have been achieved but so far only in controlled conditions and by using animals during experiments.
Much research is being conducted in the potential of bone marrow transplant with patients that suffers from conditions that cause degeneration of the brain. It is believed that the damage suffered by stroke victims and those with with Parkinson and Alzheimer disease or brain injuries will be reversible in the future. Even the effects of serious damage to the spinal cord will be reversed in future.
Another area of focus for research into bone marrow transplants is the treatment of various heart conditions. It is believed that it will become possible to use transplants to stimulate the growth of new heart muscles and tissue, to grow new blood vessels inside the heart and to aid in the recovery process after open heart surgery. It will still be some years, however, before humans will be able to benefit from this research.
Research in this field has many enemies. Some argue that it will lead to unethical medical practices because it is not only bone marrow that is used but also the blood from the umbilical cords of unborn babies. They also point out that patients are almost sure to die if their bodies reject the transplanted materials. The risks involved in the use of this technology are simply too high, they argue.
Critics also point out that donor material is not only harvested from bone marrow. It is also obtained from the blood in the umbilical cords of unborn babies. This, say the critics, opens the doors for abuse and unethical practices. They also accuse practitioners in this field of making false promises to patients simply because they know that many patients will pay the exorbitant cost of these procedures out of desperation.
Most experts agree, however, that in time this form of treatment will prove to be an enormously beneficial breakthrough in the treatment of a very wide variety of medical conditions. It is only a matter of time before it becomes commonplace. Ongoing research is discovering more and more potential for finding revolutionary ways in which to treat disease.
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