Medical Council Okays 11 Stem-Cell Studies: Thailand

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HEALTH

Medical Council okays 11 stem-cell studies

Chularat Saengpassa,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Medical Council has given the green light for medical schools to conduct 11 types of stem-cell research with the aim of finding clues for regenerative medication.

Since the council issued a regulation to tighten control over controversial stem-cell research in 2010, approval has been sought for some 17 studies.

But the council has approved only 11 studies, which will include research into the most common diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, retina irregularities and the spinal chord, Dr Somsak Lohlekha, who chairs the council's stem-cell research regulatory panel, said.

Separately, the council has been asked to certify two other studies related to heart disease as standard treatment, but it has put them on hold due to opposition from Thailand's Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons.

"These two medical colleges found that patients with heart disease did not feel any better after getting stem-cell injections," Somsak said.

Moreover, stem-cell treatment for heart disease had yet to be accepted by the international medical community as standard treatment.

"We found that many patients spent more than a million baht for this treatment and their condition did not improve," he said.

Of the 11 stem-cell studies approved by the council, one is being conducted at the Police General Hospital. The research team, led by Pol.Mai.Gen Dr Thana Turajane, has succeeded in developing adult stem cells derived from blood that can develop into cartilage tissue and be used to treat arthritis. It can also be used to culture a new set of stem cells.

Thana and his team had to wait more than nine months for a go-ahead from the Medical Council. In their application, they included a report on animal trials done by a Malaysian university to show that the use of stem cells was safe.

The hospital is now conducting clinical trials on 60 arthritis patients aged between 45 and 60, which should be completed next year.

Director of the Police General Hospital, Lt-General Jongjet Aojanepong, said the institute had set a five-year plan for stem-cell research and expected to have anti-ageing treatment by 2017.

It plans to extend its stem-cell studies to cover diabetes, heart and coronary disease, and also plans to create bio-printing for organ replacement.

"We plan to use stem-cell treatment in the next decade," Jongjet said.

Stem-cell research is not only popular in the medical field but is booming in the field of cosmetics, even though the Medical Council has said it will never give approval for stem-cell research for cosmetic purposes.

Somsak said even though the council strictly controlled stem-cell research, some physicians and scientists were still conducting illegal research on cosmetic uses.

However, he said, the council had not received any complaints about the misuse of stem-cell treatment because it was strictly regulated.

-- The Nation 2012-10-23

[asiawatcher]

Playing nature against itself? Interesting. I have known a few people who were in final stages of life at younger ages than expected, who undertook SCT (Stem Cel Therapy) in China and it prolonged their lives for quite a few years. But it did not beat an early death in the overall picture. Used for degenerative diseases it will most likely help to ease suffereing but it is not a panacea for all that ails you. Up to the individuals who wish to opt for it.

[OZEMADE]

It may also help people who have had a motor vehicle accident or some type of accident and damaged their spinal cord. Some scientists believe that the stem cell will regenerate the spinal chord and enable them to have normal functions again. I hope they try and it works out.

I did see where in the Northern Territory the scientists are looking at the Crocks that regenerate a new limb after a fight and one has been torn off, much like a crab that can grow a new leg when it looses one.

[Chris Lawrence]

I think its great that Thai medicos are going to conduct research on various chronic illness.

I am just back from Thailand and looked at Stem cell treatment. What is on offer at the moment apart from mainstream studies, is that many chronic illness are being promoted to be cured with the use of sct. But, when you start to ask about their study programs and their published articles on process and outcome, nothing can be supplied. This type of treatment needs to be avoided as there is no guarantee that it will work. What I can guarantee is that your wallet will be a lot lighter. Plenty of material on the www and video, showing what you need to look for in the treatment process and how to pick a reputable medical practioner. (Look at video on some 'Lou Gehrig's disease' US 60 minutes program, people treated for about $150,000 and they still died)

People looking at Stem cell treatment are usually vulnerable people as the current medical treatments may not arrest their condition.

I think its great that the Govt. wants to do studies on this type of treatment as it could in time be a great money spinner for a treatment that has reportable outcomes.

Then again, if you want some really good snake oil, I will send it to you for an astronomical amount of money and my 60 day guarantee that it will work, signed Mr Haney from Hooterville. Just post me if your that desperate to rid yourself of cash.