New York, NY (NBC) — The Food and Drug Administration has cleared the way for the first-ever human trial of a medical treatment, derived from embryonic stem cells.
The company plans to start testing this embryonic stem cell therapy on patients with spinal cord injuries.
Members of one spinal cord injury peer support group are buzzing about Menlo Park Company’s efforts to use embryonic stem cell therapy on people with spinal cord injuries.
Most agreed that it was exciting. Rich Patterson, the Clinical Peer Support Coordinator said, “I’ve always been optimistic that this type of research that Geron has just brought out is very hopeful for me and certainly for other people who have these injuries as well.”
The FDA gave Geron the green light to begin the world’s first human clinical trial of embryonic stem cells. The company says that with the therapy they’ve been able to help a rat with spinal cord injuries regain movement.
The tests will use stem cells cultured from embryos left over in fertility clinics, which would have otherwise been discarded.
The company plans to start with about 10 patients as early as this year.
The trial will only included patients completely paralyzed and injured within 7 to 14 days, so initially the therapy will not help people like those already in the support group.
NBC
My daughter had her spinal cord injured in 1983 during a operative procedure by a incompetant neurosurgeon.She walked somewhat slightly erratic immediately after the operation,The surgeon said she will be fine over time .He lied after her injury she exhibited signs of a greator problem.The myelin began to dissipate slowly fom her spinal cord it was over 2 years later that she showed signs of the paralysis that was to take over her body.Today she is in a wheelchair and cannot feed herself.She moves her right hand enough to operate the mouse and computor that takes her out into the world where she can socialize with others.
Is there any chance that “Stem Cell Research” might offer some “HOPE”.Thank You
This is OLD news. While exciting this type of research is getting off the ground, the patient must be a fresh injury, 14 days or less. Shepard in Atlanta has been selected as site as well as Houston. I also believe other sites have been selected. If you want to report news, find out where all the sites are, how many are already enrolled, what are the preliminary results, if any, when will the consider enrolling older injuries, etc. That would be news I could use.
This article was Published on February 15th, 2009… If you are looking for the latest news look on the Front Page. https://www.spinalcordinjuryzone.com/
Since I last posted my daughter has gotten worse.She is dying slowly before my eyes.Her left hand is now bent and fingers are curled,her right hand is going in the same direction.She goes out into the world she cannot access except on her computer and she is losing that avenue of escape.Please medical science help her.Thanks herman Minkin