Economical Impact The US National Institutes of Health spent only $38 million on human embryonic stem cell (ES cell) research last year, out of $643 million on stem-cell research overall. Although scientific research funding is usually considered a federal responsibility, California voters have decided to pony up vastly greater sums for ES cell research within the Golden State. Passed in 2004, Proposition 71 authorizes a newly created state institution to borrow up to $3 billion over the next 10 years for human ES cell research. The governor's budget, proposed in May, struggles to trim California's operating deficit to $1.4 billion. So even in a state that spends more than $100 billion annually, these funds are a significant investment. 24 What are patients doing? Clinical trials exist not in order to frustrate patients awaiting treatment but to safeguard patients from potentially dangerous and mishandled therapy. Even after clinical trials have been carried out and a treatment approved there are still many potential problems that can arise in the much larger number of patients treated than those in the trials themselves. Clinical trials can at least avoid some of the more overt contraindications and highlight the need for further research. They also allow patients to receive treatments which are likely to be efficacious and can be covered by medical insurance. Travelling overseas for treatments often means invalidating the health-care plan in the US and any complications (such as infection, tumor growth, or paralysis) requiring further treatment or hospitalization when back home are often excluded from such plans. Although many clinics in the US offer stem cell treatments the reality is that patients only have their consultation on US soil and then must travel to a clinic in the Caribbean, Ukraine or other country to actually undergo the treatment as it is not approved by the FDA. 26 http://stemcelltreatments.org/stem-cell-clinics-usa/ | Social Impact
Stem cells may be able to repair or replace damaged tissue, thereby reversing disease and injury. For example, heart muscle damaged by heart attacks might be replaced by new muscle cells. Stem cell research has the potential to impact not just one disease, but numerous ones. According to the scientists studying these diseases, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, autoimmune disease, burn victims, blood diseases, leukemia, and spinal injuries could all benefit from stem cell research. In fact, it is estimated that stem cell research has the potential to help over 100 million Americans who suffer from these and other diseases and injuries. Stem cells also hold much promise for in vitro (outside the body) drug testing, and could therefore significantly lessen the need for drug testing in animals and humans. 25
FDA “The following is a press release from Regenerative Sciences Inc., in their response to the FDA seeking an injunction to stop stem cell treatments for American patients facing COPD, debilitating diseases, heart attacks and many other illnesses.
Today in 2010 two years after Barack Obama promised to open up Stem Cell research, therapy and treatments within the US borders the FDA is overstepping its authority in regulating medicine and attempting to shut down live saving stem cell treatments. The FDA is banning stem cells to be used in the United States while many Americans are having to travel to foreign countries to receive treatment.
The US company called Regenerative Science is being forced to stop treating patients within a Denver clinic for patients in need of treatment involving their own stem cells. Stem cells from the body can be regenerated and re-injected to heal arthritis, heart diseases, COPD and other auto immune diseases and it is proven to work. What better non-invasive treatments can be had in medicine today than using the bodies own healing mechanisms, enhancing and speeding up the bodies natural healing abilities? There are none. Right now Americans are flying to China, Europe and South America as well as Mexico to receive life saving treatments because of the FDA’s misinterpretations and its attempt to regulate medicine. 27 ” Read more about FDA Stops Stem Cell Research in the USA on: http://www.politicolnews.com/fda-stops-stem-cells-in-usa/?utm_source=INK&utm_medium=copy&utm_campaign=share& What countries have treatment and there cost?
For instance, we reported earlier that stem cell treatments in China could cost up to US$20,000. The figure is from a news report in May 2010 so the cost may have gone up (or maybe down, who knows really). Meanwhile, a Daily Telegraph report on the troubles currently faced by theXcell Stem Cell Clinic mentioned that the clinic’s stem cell treatment “typically cost between £10,000 and £20,000″. If you convert that to U.S. dollars, it would be US$15,728.99 US$ and US$ 31,462.55. 28
|
