Treatment still a long way from reaching the market
Researchers at the University of California-Irivine have begun testing an embryonic stem-cell treatment on a patient in Georgia with spinal cord injuries, the first time stem-cells have been used to treat a human. The patient, who is enrolled at Shepherd Center, will be the subject of a study on the safety of the treatment, and how it is tolerated by humans. “Regenerative” medicine, which uses the super-cells to give back movement to people with spinal-cord injuries, is one of the most promising applications of stem-cell treatment. These cells are believed to have the ability to transform into any other type of cell in the body, which means they may be able to regenerate damaged or diseased tissue. While a milestone in the technology, the treatment is still a long way from being proven in humans and reaching the market.