Stem cell therapy nowadays has become a great subject for the medical research work.
A prolonged debate has been going on since many years over its applicability and rate of success.
- INTRODUCTION
It is believed that the embryonic stem cell has the capability to generate any organ in the body, it could be brain, heart, pancreas or any other organ that is diseased or needs to be repaired after significant degeneration, specially the ones which lacks the ability of regenerating on their own. Due to this ability of the embryonic cells they are also called as pluripotent cells. The embryonic cell is the cell which is formed right after conception inside the womb, scientists believe that if the embryonic cells are preserved, then they can save the life of the in case he suffers from some serious illness like Cardiovascular diseases, spinal deformities, Alzheimer’s disease and the likes. Not just embryonic stem cells of the same individual, stem cells taken from others and subsequent implantation of the same has shown positive results. Cases of immunological reactions were rare and the dependence of patients on immunosuppressive drugs was also limited.
Although everyone in the field of science, doing the similar research does not second the opinion. In many instances the administration of the stem cells have proved to be a failure, no result was obtained. In fact in some cases the site of stem cell implantation later showed tumour like growths.
- BENEFITS AND LIMITATIONS OF OUR KNOWLEDGE
Our current knowledge about stem cell therapy helps us in treating some patients but not all, reasons still being unknown to us.
Basically it is a matter of chance, some researchers got positive outcomes and some did not. A more detailed and elaborate study needs to be done in order to prove the efficiency of such therapy. We need to find out that what exactly is leading to success in certain cases and what are the factors for failure in others
- QUESTIONS THAT CAN BE RAISED
Question can be raised over the credibility of embryonic stem cell storage. Can we really depend on the preserved cells? Will the efficacy be maintained when the patient may need it at 60 years of age? And even if it is efficient, what if the procedure fails? What if even after storing the cells for so many years, investing so much of money over their preservation since such a long time proves to be futile?
- WHAT THE SCIENTISTS SHOULD DO NOW
- NEXT STEP
A more elaborate study over the subject and more experimentation is to be carried out. Options other than stem cell therapy or similar methods must be devised to reduce the dependability on stem cell banks and to be sure about the outcome of such therapy.
- CONCLUSION
A lot is already explored, still a lot more is left to be known. The present knowledge and techniques are still not providing us with the expected results. The issue needs more extensive research, keeping in mind the legalities, moralities, ethical values, efficacy of the therapy and the outcomes of the procedure.
REFERENCE
Weintraub, Karen.(2014, Sep. 15) “The Trials of Stem Cell Therapy”. The New York Times..
Retrieved from : http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/science/stem-cell-progress-begins-
