It didn't raise ethical issues or pose supply side constraints associated with embryonic stem cells.
However, it is too early to come to a conclusion on the efficacy of the procedure, they said. The procedure involves administering stem cells, usually harvested from a patient's or donor's bone marrow, into his or her diseased or damaged organ.It is less painful and chances of rejection are nil since the cells are from the patient's own body. Adult stem cell therapy does not call for administration of immuno suppressants to ward off rejection of transplanted cells. More importantly, it didn't raise ethical issues or pose supply side constraints associated with embryonic stem cells.
Dr G.P.V. Subbayya, a spinal surgeon, claimed that it was for the first time in the country that the therapy was tried on patients suffering from spinal cord injury patients.
Citing an estimate that there were over one lakh patients suffering from spinal injuries every year, he said spinal cord, unlike other organs such as skin and liver, didn't have the capacity to regenerate. But the stem cell therapy, thanks to its capacity to regenerate, would prove to be a boon for the patients. He said the hospital was doing comparative studies to complete the scientific study and to prove the efficacy of the therapy. Three cases were attended to so far.
