Significant progress is being made in the use of stem cells for the treatment of various diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.
According to Nature magazine, over 100 clinical trials involving stem cells are currently underway.
In October, surgeons in Lund, Sweden, implanted neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells into the brains of patients with Parkinson’s disease, aiming to replace at least part of the damaged tissue.
This is one of more than 100 clinical trials exploring the potential of stem cells to replace or supplement tissues in conditions such as cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, heart failure, and certain eye disorders.
After decades of intensive research that has often sparked ethical and political debates, the safety and regenerative potential of stem cells are now being widely tested.
“The pace of progress has been remarkable,” noted Martin Pera, a stem cell specialist based in the United States.
Researchers believe that stem cell therapies for certain conditions could become part of mainstream medicine within five to ten years.
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Source: CNA
