A lot has been said about stem cell treatment and research; clashing moral beliefs and scientific perspectives have created a muddled idea about this biotechnological breakthrough. For this particular article, the focus will be on the benefits of stem cell treatment in curing and preventing diseases, most of which are considered untreatable unless this particular treatment is used.
Stem cell treatment itself is one hundred per cent safe and it has no side effects. The transfer of live and healthy stems cells to create a regenerative effect has been known to treat leukaemia and other forms of cancer. Bone marrow transplant, which is one of the well-known forms of this particular treatment, is known to be the most effective method of treating blood diseases such as leukaemia. It can correct the effects of chemotherapy that is known to kill cancer cells and damage the perfectly healthy ones, as well. The cells from a healthy bone marrow can replace those damaged by chemotherapy or other radiation treatments. Aside from the bone marrow, umbilical cord stem cells can also be used for leukaemia. Using the stems cells derived from the typically discarded umbilical cord is known to less likely be rejected by the body being treated, compared to the cells from the bone marrow. Using the umbilical cord is also a better option for most because bone marrow donation is complicated and painful.
This treatment is already successful in curing cancers and organ failures but stem cell treatment is also projected to cure degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are still incurable but, according to the on-going research and development of the treatment, transplanting the freshest and most effective stem cells can completely alter the degenerative path of the two diseases.
Recent experiments have also proven that it can even cure spinal cord injury that has rendered a lot of people paralyzed. There are still some medical protocols that have been hindering this treatment from being administered to people with such injury but continuous studies hold a lot of promise and hope for the future of orthopaedics.
Stem cell treatment is known to treat minor physical issues as well like balding, deafness, loss of teeth and even scarring. This just goes to show that this particular treatment is perhaps the most important biotechnological breakthrough of the last four decades. It’s expected to directly impact the different areas of medical science all for the greater benefit of mankind.