Deadly Progression of ALS Reversed in an Amazing Stem Cell First

Amyotrophic Lateral Syndrome (ALS) is normally regarded as a terminal disease and most patients diagnosed with it are given a period of three years before their untimely doom befalls them. Those diagnosed with the disease also have progressive symptoms that range from constant weakness of the body to the inability to breathe. Very few survive ALS for more than five years and among the rare is a 39-year old male named Ted Harada.

Ted Harada was diagnosed with ALS on May 2010 and he had been coping with the horrid symptoms until March 9th, 2011 when he volunteered to be the test subject of a particular stem cell research sector regarding nerve cell rejuvenation. The scientists at Emory University conducting the experiment warned him of the experiment resulting in unknown consequences, yet Ted Harada, hoping that the research performed on him would hopefully contribute to science in a positive way, agreed to be tested upon.

The test consisted of injecting one million neural stem cells into 10 separate locations in the spinal cord of the patient hoping that the stem cells differentiate into or regenerate the damaged neurons. Throughout the course of the trial, two out of 12 died due to reasons not affiliated with the stem cell research (one died of a heart attack and the ALS in the other had progressed too much to be quelled), and most of the remaining patients have not experienced any recovery. But, resting alone, Ted Harada actually benefited from the experiment and is now enjoying life to its fullest without being hindered by his cane.

This article was particularily interesting for two reasons. First, it provides reasonable evidence why stem cells should be prioritized higher by the government since the positive results shown was in a human. Most recognized stem cell research involved rats and other animals who's genetic make up was not similar enough to a human's. Second, the stem cells in this experiment were all derived from one aborted and donated embryo. Such a donation did have limitations on the amount of stem cells retrieved, but the scientists duplicated the cells to have enough for 12 people to be tested. In a utilitarian perspective, one embryo for the sake of 12 people is always a justifiable cause. Overall, this article was quite interesting and the research should be properly funded since stem cells could be the next treatment for ALS and several other diseases.

http://gizmodo.com/5844786/deadly-progression-of-als-reversed-in-an-amazing-stem-cell-first