muruganandan.k
2014-10-16 10:06:54 UTC
MURUGANANDAN.
sent from my android Device--
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Sivakumar S" <mfsiva at gmail.com>
Date: Oct 16, 2014 10:32 AM
Subject: Stem cells to treat blindness appear safe - The Hindu
To:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: DINAKAR TD
Health
The Hindu, October 15, 2014
Stem cells to treat blindness appear safe
An experimental treatment for blindness that uses embryonic stem cells
appears to be safe, and it improved vision in more than half of the
patients who got it, two early studies show.
Researchers followed 18 patients for up to three years after
treatment. The studies are the first to show safety of an embryonic
stem cell treatment in humans for such a long period.
"It's a wonderful first step but it doesn't prove that (stem cells)
work," said Chris Mason, chair of regenerative medicine at University
College London, who was not part of the research. He said it was
encouraging the studies proved the treatment is safe and dispelled
fears about stem cells promoting tumor growth.
Embryonic stem cells, which are recovered from embryos, can become any
cell in the body. They are considered controversial by some because
they involve destroying an embryo and some critics say adult stem
cells, which are derived from tissue samples, should be used instead.
Scientists have long thought about transforming them into specific
types of cells to help treat various diseases. In the new research,
scientists turned stem cells into retinal cells to treat people with
macular degeneration or Stargardt's macular dystrophy, the leading
causes of blindness in adults and children.
In each patient, the retinal cells were injected into the eye that had
the worst vision. Ten of the 18 patients later reported they could see
better with the treated eye than the other one.
No safety problems were detected. The studies were paid for by the
U.S. company that developed the treatment, Advanced Cell Technology,
and were published online Tuesday in the journal, Lancet.
Dr. Robert Lanza, one of the study authors, said it was significant
the stem cells survived years after the transplant and weren't wiped
out by the patients' own immune systems.
He said patients have regained their independence with their newfound
vision and said some people are now able to use their computers again,
read their watches or travel on their own.
"The next step will be to prove these (stem cell) treatments actually
work," Mason said. "Unless there is a sham group where you inject
saline into (patients') eyes, we can't know for sure that it was the
stem cells that were responsible."
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/stem-cells-to-treat-blindness-appear-safe/article6503566.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication
sent from my android Device--
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Sivakumar S" <mfsiva at gmail.com>
Date: Oct 16, 2014 10:32 AM
Subject: Stem cells to treat blindness appear safe - The Hindu
To:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: DINAKAR TD
Health
The Hindu, October 15, 2014
Stem cells to treat blindness appear safe
An experimental treatment for blindness that uses embryonic stem cells
appears to be safe, and it improved vision in more than half of the
patients who got it, two early studies show.
Researchers followed 18 patients for up to three years after
treatment. The studies are the first to show safety of an embryonic
stem cell treatment in humans for such a long period.
"It's a wonderful first step but it doesn't prove that (stem cells)
work," said Chris Mason, chair of regenerative medicine at University
College London, who was not part of the research. He said it was
encouraging the studies proved the treatment is safe and dispelled
fears about stem cells promoting tumor growth.
Embryonic stem cells, which are recovered from embryos, can become any
cell in the body. They are considered controversial by some because
they involve destroying an embryo and some critics say adult stem
cells, which are derived from tissue samples, should be used instead.
Scientists have long thought about transforming them into specific
types of cells to help treat various diseases. In the new research,
scientists turned stem cells into retinal cells to treat people with
macular degeneration or Stargardt's macular dystrophy, the leading
causes of blindness in adults and children.
In each patient, the retinal cells were injected into the eye that had
the worst vision. Ten of the 18 patients later reported they could see
better with the treated eye than the other one.
No safety problems were detected. The studies were paid for by the
U.S. company that developed the treatment, Advanced Cell Technology,
and were published online Tuesday in the journal, Lancet.
Dr. Robert Lanza, one of the study authors, said it was significant
the stem cells survived years after the transplant and weren't wiped
out by the patients' own immune systems.
He said patients have regained their independence with their newfound
vision and said some people are now able to use their computers again,
read their watches or travel on their own.
"The next step will be to prove these (stem cell) treatments actually
work," Mason said. "Unless there is a sham group where you inject
saline into (patients') eyes, we can't know for sure that it was the
stem cells that were responsible."
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/stem-cells-to-treat-blindness-appear-safe/article6503566.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication