Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Embryonic Stem Cell Trials to Start




There are millions of people afflicted with different forms and levels of spinal cord damage and other nervous system problems currently waiting in suspense for assorted stem cell trials to produce solid results. Many others, with other degenerative or other diseases, from ALS to MS, also wait for productive results which might help make their lives easier, more liveable.

Key to many of these expectations are the embryonic stem cell studies. While a ban was recently lifted for such studies under Barack Obama, a recent legal challenge by a short-sighted judge has created continued uncertainty about government support.

Despite that uncertainty, The Financial Times reports today that the first regulator-authorized clinical trial to treat humans by using embryonic stem cells has now commenced in the U.S. The company, Geron, has enrolled the first human subject for a trial in Atlanta, Georgia, to treat patients with spinal cord injuries.

This is a ground-breaking step to say the least, though as more and more fundies and religious or moralistic regressives learn about it, you can be sure they'll be howling. (Though true, they can't do a damned thing yet about PRIVATE funding!) Rather than help millions of people attain a better quality of life, with less day to day suffering, they'd rather hurl their bible quotes and moral platitudes at them. Fortunately, all their huffing and puffing is unlikely to intimidate Geron, nor will any "boycotts" since Geron isn't exposed in the marketplace - say like Procter & Gamble (which had to remove its long time emblem of a Moon and face because fundies accused the company of pandering "witchcraft" some years ago).

The acronymn for Geron's treatment is: GRNOPC1, for oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, which exist in the nervous system. In this technique, immature nerve cells are grown from stem cells derived originally from human embryos at a very early stage of development (much earlier than the definition for an actual 'human person' can be assumed. As the late Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan noted in an article some eighteen years ago, personhood should really only be reserved for embryos that have actual brain waves).

The immature nerve cells so derived are then injected into the damaged spinal cord of the accident victim, with the objective of repairing the damaged nerves and restoring some degree of movement. This also is why the late Christopher Reeves, who sustained a horrific fall off a horse and became quadriplegic, was so energized to support and help fund the work. Alas, the Supreme Court selection of pseudo-moralist GeeDumbya Bush got in the way, with his paring back of federal funding for all stem cell reearch except a few paltry lines...essentially reducing Reeves' chances for anything to nil.

According to Prof. Chris Mason, the Chair of the Regnerative Medicine Reprocessing Unit at The University College, London:

"This first-in -man study marks the dawn of the 'stem cell age'. The essential transition from bench to bedside, is a critical step change in the progression of embryonic stem cells towards eventual cures".

He added, however, that "there are still many years of rigorous testing ahead and no doubt there will be many setbacks".

Which is another key reason we can't afford any more false moralistic delays. So let us hope that the fundies find other "projects" to occupy their time and bigotry. Maybe we atheists can entice them to direct their hateful spite at us, and in the meantime, let the stem cell research companies like Geron proceed without interference, or more judges issuing decisions that impede the welfare and enhance health of millions.

No comments: