Regulating stem cell therapy
- The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) & Department of Biotechnology have revised the guidelines on stem cell research.
- Use of stem cells in patients should be considered as clinical trails except treating haematological, immunological and metabolic disorders using haematopoietic stem cells.
- The diseases like leukaemia is treated by the use of bone marrow containing haematopoietic stem cells & has been established as a standard of medical care.
- Treating damaged corneas by limbal transplantation for limbal stem cell deficiency should also be considered an established method of care (limbal stem cells are transplanted from the healthy eye to the damaged eye).
- The untested “therapies” provided to inexperienced people is a rampant exploitation of patients by some doctors, as many unproven stem cell treatments are offered as a magical treatment for many types of diseases and conditions.
- Several untested techniques to separate, grow and expand specific stem cells are also available in the country failing to produce the promised benefits and causing harm to the patients.
- Such manipulations by clinics and hospital offering stem sell therapy for a wide variety of conditions is swiftly regulated under new guidelines.
Exams Perspective:
- Stem Cells
- Stem Cell Regulation