By Philip C. Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer Researcher Shruti Dave (R) and assistant Chetan Patel work on stem cell cultures at the Transplantation Biology Research Centre situated at The Institute of Kidney Disease and Research Centre (IKDRC), Civil Hospital campus in Ahmedabad on February 6, 2013. AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, PhilippinesDont focus too much on youthful looks. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo gave this advice on Tuesday as he urged the faithful to use stem cell therapy only for medical purposes. Its not that we dont want it but (stem cell theraphy) is for curing the sick. (Having youthful looks) is just a side effect. (The therapy) wasnt invented for that, Pabillo said in a Church forum in Manila. He said the advent of stem cell therapy should also lead the faithful to strive for a more fruitful and meaningful life. The problem is people dont want to die so they want to extend their life. But when they were young, they did not use the time given to them wisely. We see a lot of people wasting their time, Pabillo said. And when they grow up, they want to live longer. I hope people, while they are young, would … Continue reading →

Stem Cell Therapy Becomes More Widely Available The average athlete may soon have access to the benefits of stem cell research. By: ABCNews … Continue reading →

Thor's Video Diary on May 16, 2013 Just about 14 weeks after stem cell treatmen A short video of Thor and his progress on May 16, 2013 He continues to do very well. He has regained much muscle tone in his left hind leg - he lost a lot be... By: Wendy Schindler … Continue reading →

SONA: PMA, nagbabala laban sa iligal na stem cell treatment State of the Nation is a nightly newscast anchored by award-winning broadcast journalist, Jessica Soho. It airs Mondays to Fridays at 9:00 PM (PHL Time) on G... By: gmanews … Continue reading →

file photo (Credit: SAM PANTHAKY/AFP/Getty Images) By Lynne Adkins PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A local facility is opening a new unit to help patients with certain types of cancer. The stem cell transplant center at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Northeast Philadelphia will help patients with such cancers as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Dr. Pamela Crilley, chief of medical oncology, says the 17,000 square foot facility has eight rooms for patients undergoing stem cell transplants and more. It has a dedicated infusion center for outpatient treatments and it also has a apheresis section where we will collect stem cells. It has cryopreservation laboratory, Dr. Crilley said this unit will allow the center to treat patients locally, instead of sending them to facilities in other parts of the country. We have five facilities and so they may have been treated in a different facility than our location here, so this is really expanding what can be done at this location. Originally posted here: Cancer Treatment Center Of America Opening Stem Cell Center In NE Phila. … Continue reading →

Should there be a law on stem cell therapy? The House of Representatives (HOR) has no idea. And for the sake of finding answer, House leaders intend to consult with medical experts about the issues surrounding the procedure. Speaker Feliciano Sonny Belmonte Jr. admits lawmakers need an expert opinion before they take any legislative action on reports about the negative effects of the expensive treatment. At this point, we have absolutely no basis to say that it was wrong (or) it wasnt wrong (or) it should be regulated, it should not be regulated, Belmonte said. Belmonte issued the statement after the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) said it is looking into the recent deaths of three politicians, who died after receiving xenogenic treatment in Germany. PMA president Dr. Leo Olarte said his group is still trying to find out whether politicians died due to their illness or due to hypersensitive reaction from animal-based stem cell treatments they received. On Monday, Belmonte revealed that Camiguin Rep. Pedro Romualdo underwent stem cell treatment in Germany before he died in April due to pneumonia. Incoming Bohol Rep. Aris Aumentado also admitted his father, the late Bohol Rep. Erico Aumentado, had undergone similar treatment in … Continue reading →

CARLSBAD, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 27, 2013) - International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCQB: ISCO) (www.internationalstemcell.com) a California-based biotechnology company developing novel stem cell based therapies, announced today that it will present preliminary data from its IND-enabling study in Parkinson's disease at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego, CA on November 10th 2013. The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and clinicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. More than 30,000 people are expected to attend the annual meeting, making it one of the largest scientific and medical conferences in the world. ISCO's Parkinson's disease program uses human parthenogenetic neural stem cells (hPNSC) which are a novel therapeutic cellular product derived from the company's proprietary histocompatible human pluripotent stem cells. hPNSC are self-renewing mulitpotent cells that are precursors for the major cells of the central nervous system. The ability of hPNSC to (i) differentiate into dopaminergic (DA) neurons and (ii) express neurotrophic factors such as glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to protect the nigrostriatal system, offers a new opportunity for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, especially in cases where current small molecule approaches fail to adequately control … Continue reading →

MANILA - As stem cell treatment begins to gain traction among Filipinos, a surgeon believes the country is now entering a new phase in medicine. Dr. Levi John Lansangan, one of the founding members of the Philippine Stem Cell Society, said there is much promise in stem cell therapy because of the hope it gives to ailing patients. "Before it was only physiologic, then it became pathologic, which deals with diseases. Then it became pharmacologic, wherein we give medicine. But now it is regenerative, wherein the body heals by itself," Lansangan told ANC's "Prime Time" on Wednesday. Stem cell treatment involves harvesting stem cells, processing them, and injecting them back to the body. Lansangan said the autologous treatment, which harvests stem cells from the patients own system, is the safest type of stem cell procedure. The procedure may last for up to 4 hours, depending on the patients health. It may cost up to P1.6 million. Stem cell treatment is believed to have the potential to cure illnesses including diabetes, heart ailments, brain damage such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers, osteoarthritis, stroke, baldness and even sports injuries. The hardest thing to say to a patient is hopelessness. If you say there … Continue reading →