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 In 1962, an oral vaccine using attenuated
poliovirus, developed by Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin, was licensed for mass
distribution. Since then, I maintain
that Russell’s “dominant groups” have barred any medical-scientific progress
that might lead to a cure of all major diseases.
All Jim needs to do to prove me wrong is:
Name one major disease that has been cured by
American Medical Science since polio.
“Why isn’t this available in the USA?” Part 2
by
David Granovsky
I am reminded of March 19, 2009, when Dr. Oz
made a stunning statement: “I think, Oprah, the stem cell debate is
dead. The problem with embryonic stem
cells is that embryonic stem cells come from embryos, like all of us are made
from embryos, and those cells can become any cell in the body, but it’s very
hard to control them and so they can become cancer.” (see “Doctor Oz wants to save lives without
scalpel” in this Newsletter)
Shortly after the show was aired and the videos
were watched; I was asked a number of related questions.
1. “Why
would someone like Michael J Fox not seek treatment outside the U.S.?”
Unfortunately, Michael J Fox is a victim of the misleading media
blitz that has been perpetrated on the US public for about 6-8 yrs. All focus
was on embryonic stem cell research and no one in the US even knew about the
advances that were going on outside except for some scientists and
doctors. If you were to google adult
stem cells dated prior to about 3 days before the Super Bowl this year, you
will barely find even a dozen positive articles in a popular US periodical
regarding the benefits of adult stem cells…that were happening anywhere in
the world. And these treatments have been going on for up to 8 or so years!
Sometimes the quotes from the few pro-adult stem cell published articles were
completely reversed or the articles themselves were pulled without retraction
or comment.
2. “That explains the lack of knowledge the
general public has about the advances of adult stem cells…but what about the
scientists and doctors who are on the cutting edge of research? Surely they know what is going on outside
the US?”
A. The logic makes sense and
some were aware of what was happening outside the US borders...but American
scientists and doctors have been trained to believe that the American way
(FDA, clinical trials, drug development = ~$500 million and 7-12 yrs to
develop) is the only way to go.
This is not a conspiracy theory (as Jim suggests), this is merely the
only way the pharmaceutical companies can get patents and sell their drugs
exclusively for 5-10 yrs to make back the ~$500 million cost of bringing a
drug to market. Hindsight is 20/20 and
it is abundantly clear that both the FDA and pharmaceutical companies
consider the role of stem cells in the market to be “as drugs.”
B. The scientists and doctors
have also been trained with an extremely exclusive Amero-centric
philosophy. Just about every US
scientist will not accept the results of a verified, completed, peer reviewed
clinical trial that was PERFORMED IN ANOTHER COUNTRY…even from a
well-respected publication like the New England Journal of Medicine. In fact, they will most likely REPEAT the
study while following US codes and standards before they will allow
themselves to believe the results.
3. “You
would think that Michael J Fox, with the incredible resources of his assets
and foundation, would be able get to the truth behind all of this.”
I’m not sure why he is in the dark about the advances of adult stem
cell and iPSC. I checked his
scientific advisory board and he has many brilliant scientists and doctors
and at least seven of them are from Europe.
I have no idea why his foundation has been so incredibly embryonic
focused. Do you?
Stem Cell Awareness Seminar in Springfield, Missouri
Dr. A. A. Hakim, a USA resident and a leading
stem cell researcher and Dr. Kara Zhang the lead doctor from Beike
Biotechnology in Shenzhen, China will be the main speakers.
Attendees will also meet patients whom received stem cell treatments for ONH (optic nerve hypoplasia), SOD (septo-optic dysplasia) & Autism. They will talk about the changes treatment has
given them. A
representative doctor will discuss the
progress in his patients after the stem cell treatments.
Brad Hart is hosting the "Stem Cell
Awareness in Springfield, Missouri.”
We invite you to join us. Please RSVP to Carol or Brad (contact
info below)
Stem Cell Awareness Seminar Schedule:
Doors open at noon, event is from 1:00pm to
5:00pm.
Guest speakers:
1)
Dr.
A.A. Hakim an expert in the field of stem cell research and
2)
Diana
Janey, Director of International Affairs, Beike Biotechnology, China
3)
Dr.
Kara Zhang, Beike Biotechnology, China - stem cell treatments
4)
Dr.
Larry Brothers, Optometrist with an office in
5)
Dr.
Bert Bachrach, Endocrinologist with an office in Springfield
6)
Brad
and Braden Hart, received cells for ONH blindness
7)
Katie
and Connor Corkern, Connor received SC for SOD and blindness
8)
Dawn
Moehr & Rylea Barlett, received stem cells for ONH blindness
9)
Carol
Petersen, stem cell advocate, founder of Stem Cell Awareness Assoc.
10) Melissa and Cameron Petersen, Cameron had SC
for ONH/SOD blindness
11) Neil Barron, patient fund raising for stem cell
treatments
This event is free to the public. We
welcome everyone interested in regenerative
treatments. Share this flyer with your friends and loved ones. For more information
please contact Carol Petersen or Brad Hart.
Sincere Regards -
Carol Petersen,
Stem Cell Advocate - Awareness Program Coordinator
Ph:
941-235-0088
Fx:
941-624-6133
Em:
carolptrsn@msn.com
http://www.cameronsmiracleofsight.com
http://www.stemcellaware.com
Brad
Hart, Stem Cell Advocate
Ph:
573-864-4063
Em:
moneymanbah@yahoo.com
Getting Beike’s Stem Cell Treatment at Qingdao Chengyang People’s
Hospital
(Jon Michael Taft is an RSCI MS patient who
chose China, one of the five of our top centers now treating MS
successfully. This is his opening blog
post.)
We are here in Qingdao. We arrived Tuesday (8/4/2009) morning
around 9am local time. After several
minutes clearing security, Liz (my caregiver and ex-wife and close friend) and I were greeted by Jack (one of the
translators) and taken by van to the hospital.
The trip for me was extremely exhausting. We left Houston on Sunday evening at
7pm. The flight took 3 1/2 hours
(Continental Airlines) with a 4 hour layover LAX. We left LA around 1am local time (Korean
Airlines - very nice). The flight took
almost 12 hours arriving into Seoul 4:30am local time. Waited 2 more hours then flew 1 hour into
Qingdao. All of this without any
sleep. (About 26 hours
door-to-door---DM)
But since arriving, I am catching up on sleep,
the doctors, nurses and translators are very helpful and nice. I have had two days of therapy, physical,
electric shock treatment in my legs and acupuncture.
My first stem cell treatment on Friday (7 Aug)
entered my body thru an I V on my hand.
The next 5 are due to enter my body thru a shot into my lower back
into my spinal canal. This is a direct route to the brain. I have two for the next blog period. (The
technical word for this implant is “intrathecal.” –DM)
I plan to do weekly blogs while I am here and
then monthly once I’m back home. The
next blogs will have more info and hopefully start to include video and
pictures. Communication in and out of
China is difficult, we can no longer use the laptop and the public computers
(2 of them) are in Chinese, which slows down the process.
I continue to be impressed with the doctors,
nurses, staff and translators. I have
only great praise for these professionals.
I wish I would see more results and quicker. But the doctors and other patients insist I
need to be patient. Some of the
benefits will take months to see. But
I hope that the more treatments and therapy build on each other.
Life here is quite boring. Liz has gone shopping everyday but I am too
tired to leave, everyone wants to go shopping with Liz because she is such a
savvy shopper and gets the best price.
For me, I watch Chinese TV and talk with other patients in the common
area and read.
The caregivers** are the unsung heroes
here. They cook, clean, take care of
us, and keep us company. The living
quarters are tight and I am sure I get on her nerves, but without her here I
would be so depressed that I would probably go crazy. I am going to have to bring my brother if I
have to do this again; she said one trip to China is enough.
Signing off for now, your friend,
Michael
**The
Chinese doctors agree. Patients do
much better when they bring a caregiver.
So Beike now insists that all patients have at least one. Their hospital suites can handle more than
one if you are willing to pay a little extra.
Michael
has arrived safely home and is resting.
Here is the rest of his blog:
http://stemcellschina.com/blog/jmichael/
Bone Repair Cells Rebuild “Broken” Faces
Dedicated to Dianne in New England
Compassionate Use Patients in Spain Treated
With Adult Stem Cell Therapy Demonstrate Jaw Bone Regeneration Enabling
Dental Implants
Bone Repair Cells (BRCs) were used in Spain to
repair the faces of patients suffering from severe craniofacial defects in
2008 and the 12-month results were released at a conference in China this
month (Aug. 2009). The product was
developed by what RSCI considers one of the top stem cell companies in
America, Aastrom Biosciences.
Dr. Jose Mendonca, Director of the Head and
Neck Surgery Unit of Hospital POLUSA in Lugo, Spain and previously a Clinical
and Research Fellow in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the UCLA School of
Dentistry, reviewed the results of treatment with BRCs in three patients with
craniofacial defects, as follows:
1-- The first patient was treated for severe
mandibular osteoradionecrosis, or
osteonecrosis of the jaw caused by radiation,
and presented with pathological fracture and complete numbness of the lower
lip.
At 12 months post-BRC treatment,
the patient displayed restored vascular function, new bone formation,
fracture consolidation and total recovery of lip numbness.
2--The second patient was treated for
post-traumatic mandibular osteomyelitis and presented with massive bone loss,
chronic infection, chronic pain and
total impairment of function of both mandibular nerves.
At 12 months post-BRC treatment,
the patient experienced complete functional nerve recovery and the formation
of new bone.
3-The third patient was treated for iatrogenic
massive bone loss in the posterior maxilla and presented with severe oral
function impairment.
At 12 months post-BRC treatment,
the patient had new bone formation in atrophic areas.
All patients underwent a minor surgery to
insert a dental implant into the newly regenerated jawbone. Eight weeks later, the dental prosthesis
(teeth) was attached to the implant completing the treatment objectives with
the restoration of oral function.
"The outcome of these treatments with BRCs
has been very satisfactory. We observed early bone formation in the afflicted
areas that eventually resulted in complete healing," said Dr. Mendonca. "Unexpected therapeutic results from treatment with
BRCs include peripheral nerve regeneration or repair, new skin formation and
proliferation in blood vessels in ischemic areas!!”
NOTE from Don Margolis: RSCI knew that this “trial” would succeed,
but the degree and variety of success surprised
even us. We have
seen five years of Repair Stem Cell successes,
month after month. We continue to look for and
find unexpected side effects---always positive---ever since
TheraVitae’s pioneer heart stem cells surprised everyone by improving the
patients’ diabetes in one out of six cases.
These “side effects” are astonishing, to say
the least. New blood vessels in
ischemic areas from a jawbone? Nerve
regeneration? New skin? This will take a while to sink in for those in the know…and will most likely never
be seen in popular media!
Paying Women to Donate Their Eggs for Research - at What Risk?
The state of New York is the first state to
approve payment (up to $10,000) to women donating eggs to human embryonic
stem cell (hESC) research (22Jun09). Critics include some proponents of hESC
research and most ethics bodies following the lead of the US National
Academies, which in 2005 issued guidelines discouraging the practice. This
action is in response to scientists' struggle to get more eggs for their
laboratory research with hESC and cloning.
So what is really wrong with this picture of
payment for eggs for research?
1. Donation procedure: 3 different hormone
treatments, daily injections, surgical removal under anesthesia
2. Health risks:
· No long term safety data
· Known risks*:
Pain,
polycystic ovarian syndrome 5-10%; ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome with
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal distention 10-20% and kidney
damage, ovarian twisting, clotting disorders, respiratory distress 1-3%;
cancers (breast ovarian, and uterine); possible long term fertility effects
(insufficient data); surgical risks - bleeding, infection, anesthesia;
psychological - mood swing, anxiety, irritability
3. Exploitation: monetary inducement will attract
financially needy women (poor, college students); most civilized nations have
banned paid donation.
4. Risk/Benefit ratio: Benefits of laboratory
research do not outweigh health risks - no successful treatment of humans using
embryonic stem cells; iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cells) have made use of
hESC "dinosaur technology" (see Ian Wilmut interview); therapeutic
cloning is impractical and not economically feasible (It will take 40 million
woman donors required to treat just 1/10 of heart, diabetes, and Alzheimer's
patients). Since we have less than 100
million egg-bearing women and since the process is outrageously expensive,
there is no practical reason to do this.
5. Donation for IVF not equivalent: donating eggs
for IVF assume a personal health risk knowing the expected clinical pregnancy
rate per egg transfer = 60%. Women donating eggs for hESC research assumes a
health risk for outdated technology with as yet unproven benefit to humans.
Bottom line: There is no good scientific,
medical, ethical, or humanitarian justification for paying women to donate
their eggs for hESC research; the justification that scientists cannot get
enough unpaid donors is outrageous in light of this.
* Committee on Assessing the Medical Risks of
Human Oocyte Donation for Stem Cell Research
Editor’s Addendum: In any free market economy, the
introduction of a new competitor always causes change. I wonder how $10,000 for “egg donation for
research” will compete with the $5,000 to $10,000 for “egg donation for IVF”
that typically requires the following tests and qualifications:
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Examinations
and Consultations:
*
Consultation with Physician
*
Physical Examination
*
FDA Screening Questionnaire
*
Psychological counseling / MMPI
*
Genetic Counseling and Testing
*
Medication Instruction
*
Baseline Ultrasound (cycle day 3)
*
Completion of Consent Forms
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Bloodwork
required by the FDA:
*
HIV-1 / HIV-2
*
Hep B Surface Ag
*
Hep B Core Ab
*
Hepatitis C Antibody
*
RPR
* GC / Chlamydia cultures
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Egg
Donor Qualifications:
*
Ages of 21- 32
*
Healthy weight
*
Non smoking
* No
significant history for chronic medical conditions or genetic diseases
*
Physically and emotionally healthy
*
Must participate in and pass a screening process including a psychological
examination
*
Must have transportation
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Precision Adult Stem Cells,
Not Embryonic Sledgehammers for Muscle Repair
by David Prentice
http://www.frcblog.com/2009/06/precision-adult-stem-cells-not-embryonic-sledgehammers/
New research published
online in the journal Nature suggests that adult stem cells, not embryonic
stem cells, are appropriate for use in therapies for repairing damaged and
diseased muscle. Researchers from Maryland and Indiana report that
experiments with mice show the genes involved in muscle development are
turned off soon after birth, and are not used by adult stem cells that repair
muscle. Lead author Christoph Lepper said, "I thought that if they are
so important in the embryo, they must be important for adult muscle stem
cells. I was totally surprised to find that the muscle stem cells are normal
without them."
In their paper the
authors note:
"Changes in genetic
requirement for muscle stem cells from embryonic to juvenile to adult stages
elucidate the inadequacy of applying knowledge gained from developmental
studies to adult stem-cell biology. Our discovery should encourage future
investigations into how widespread genetic transitions may occur in different
adult stem-cell types. Age-dependent differences in stem-cell properties
should also urge careful consideration of the age of stem cells used in
transplantation-based regenerative medicine."
The implications? Studying embryonic stem cells
is an inadequate substitute for directly studying how adult stem cells carry
out their normal repair functions in the body, and embryonic stem cells
themselves are inadequate substitutes for adult stem cells in medical therapies.
In other words, don't use a sledgehammer instead of precision equipment.
Body has Holes; Can Surgeons Use Them?
Surgeons are currently trying to make the removal of organs a “HOLE” lot
easier
“An appendix pulled out through the mouth. A
gallbladder removed through the vagina. It almost sounds bizarre.” (Almost?! - DG) “...surgeons at a handful
of medical centers across the country are performing these experimental
procedures. This type of surgery, which involves removing organs through
natural body openings, could be available locally if a Nebraska Medical
Center surgeon succeeds in making a device to improve the procedure…” - http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1219&u_sid=10562747
How would you feel about having your appendix
pulled out through your mouth or your gallbladder removed through your
vagina? Truth IS stranger than fiction. And while some are trying to make the
removal of your organs easier, there is one famous doctor who is pursuing
this unconventional and non-Western medicine line of thought:
“Maybe you would rather
have your life saved using NO SCALPEL.”
Who is this doctor?
Dr. Oz wants to save lives without using scalpel
Oz had a decent enough career
before television beckoned. He’s a prominent surgeon with expertise in
repairing heart valves. He will continue to perform surgery one day a week.
Yet Oz noticed that he
was getting more jazzed up persuading people they didn’t need surgery than
operating on them. “I found myself
going to work and taking care of people who wanted to get better who believed
that their only path to salvation was through my scalpel,” he said. “I can
heal with steel. I know how to do that. But it’s very disenfranchising when
you realize the true solutions are outside the operating room.”
I guess we should expect
nothing less from the only celebrity doctor in the world to stand up (in
front of Oprah, Michael J Fox and 7.2 million viewers) against embryonic stem
cells due to their limitations and tendencies to become tumors...in February
of 2009:
“I think, Oprah, the
stem cell debate is dead. The problem
with embryonic stem cells is that embryonic stem cells come from embryos,
like all of us are made from embryos, and those cells can become any cell in
the body, but it’s very hard to control them and so they can become cancer.”
- http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/oprah-michael-j-fox-dr-oz-stem-cell-debate-is-dead/
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