Thank God For Stem Cell Research

[Michael]

Diabetics freed from insulin in radical therapy
April 12, 2007

PATIENTS with type 1 diabetes have been able to go without insulin for up to three years in a study of experimental stem cell transplant therapy.

The findings could lead to the end of insulin dependence.

Fifteen patients aged 14 to 31 took part in the Brazilian study, which tested the stem cell therapy between November 2003 and July 2006.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/diabetics-freed-from-insulin-in-radical-therapy/2007/04/11/1175971183203.html

We have an epidemic of Type II diabetes in this country due to obesity, and it is so sad to watch them slowly lose their limbs and vision due to the poorly controlled blood sugar. This is an amazing advance for mankind.

[Thaurismunths]

Unforturnatly:
Professor Tuch said the research had several limitations, including the fact that there was no control group and that the findings could have been a result of the "honeymoon period", a well-known phenomenon in newly diagnosed patients, where diabetes symptoms disappear after initial insulin treatment.

"You don't know if the stem cells did anything or it was the anti-rejection drugs, or a combination of the two," he said.

[Rachel Swirsky]

Granted, thauri, but it'll be interesting to watch what happens over the coming weeks/months.

Personally, I hope this will cause the US to revisit the concept of embryonic stem cell research with a more favorable eye, at least after the next presidential election.

[Michael]

If we just discovered anti-rejection drugs treat diabetes, that would be awesome as well!  (Seem the less probable explanation as it surely would have been noticed by now--some percentage of organ recipients have to have been diabetic over the years.)   

[lowky]

If we just discovered anti-rejection drugs treat diabetes, that would be awesome as well!  (Seem the less probable explanation as it surely would have been noticed by now--some percentage of organ recipients have to have been diabetic over the years.)   

especially since they have tried doing pancreatic (and sometimes kidneys as well) transplants to treat diabetes with mixed results.

[Startrekwiki]

If we just discovered anti-rejection drugs treat diabetes, that would be awesome as well!  (Seem the less probable explanation as it surely would have been noticed by now--some percentage of organ recipients have to have been diabetic over the years.)   

especially since they have tried doing pancreatic (and sometimes kidneys as well) transplants to treat diabetes with mixed results.

I'm slightly confused. What you mean is that they've tried to transplant diabetic patient's livers and kidneys, and replace them with different ones? If so, I've heard that a scientist in Nevada (not sure) has found a way to create a kidney off of certain proteins and cells. I was completely lost by the article, but there was also something about Oxblood, a compound used to grow bacteria.

[Thaurismunths]

Granted, thauri, but it'll be interesting to watch what happens over the coming weeks/months.

Personally, I hope this will cause the US to revisit the concept of embryonic stem cell research with a more favorable eye, at least after the next presidential election.

I think adequate understanding of stem cells is still some way off, and some of the possibilities concern me, but I hope research continues to progress.

In the near future, my bets are on something like this, also from the Land Downunder: http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Seaweed-offers-hope-to-diabetes-patients/2006/02/21/1140284034351.html
Basically transplanted pancreatic cells are kept in a web of porous seaweed that lets sugar in and insulin out, but is too fine for the immune system to attack.

[lowky]

Transplants were being tried back in early 90's iirc.  They found in most cases replacing the pancreas wasn't enough.  They had to replace kidneys as well for the person to no longer need insulin.  both my parents were insulin dependent.  My mom for most of my life.  I was six when she was Diagnosed.  Both of them went in the hospital with BAD kidney infections and were put on insulin while in the hospital, and remained on it the rest of their life.  My mom passed away due to complications with hers.  More acurately it would be depression that killed her, in that she wasn't eating right due to depression, and body started rebelling.  She went a week straight with having a morning insulin drop before "waking" wouldn't go to doctor, so I just called 911 rather than bring her out of it one time.  It went down hill from there, and she passed away about 3 months later.

[FNH]

Here's an interesting article, suggesting that the Stem Cells used were from adult donor organs rather than from foetus'.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/banning-stem-cell-research-prolongs-suffering-for-many/2007/05/06/1178390132923.html