Stem Cell Research and Diabetes

In a breakthrough trial, 15 young patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes were given drugs to suppress their immune systems followed by transfusions of stem cells drawn from their own blood. As a result, they have been able to stop taking insulin injections for the first time, after their bodies started to produce the hormone naturally again.

What do you think about stem cell research for the treatment of diabetes?

I just read a follow-up commentary on the news from last week.

I have to admit at this point I am at a bit of a loss, because just at the end of last year, there was news about research in Toronto, where scientists had been able to cure diabetes in mice, by focusing on the disease as a neurological problem, not an immunological problem.

Thoughts?

ABC News courtesy of AOL had a terrific news story on this – it was short and accurate, and I thought they did a nice job with the computer animation as well. As long as you don’t mind a brief commercial before (and after) the news clip, this story was pretty good. It can be seen here:

Let’s hope that the stem cell research issue stays alive. Even if this particular study is flawed, I think we need to keep science moving toward a Cure!