The Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Center, in 2013, reported an 86% success rate for children who had undergone stem cell therapy for terminal illness, as compared to a 74% success rate in 2004. Hospitals across India have also been reporting extraordinary results as well. The Bangalore Institute of Regenerative Medicine, at a press meet held in January 2014, claimed to have come out with a successful treatment for spinal injury and paralysis. A number of similar success stories have been reported across the nation, causing people to consider investing in stem cell banks in India.
Donor stem cells are extremely hard to find and match. So, doctors are urging patients to use stem cell banks in India to store one’s own umbilical cord blood before the onset of diseases. With this being the scenario, people still have numerous apprehensions about this procedure. Here are a few facts that might prove useful in helping you make an informed decision.
Four Facts you need to Know
There are various types of stem cells, each having a purpose of their own
For example, the hematopoietic stem cells (blood forming cells) are used to regenerate blood, while neural ones are used to regenerate brain cells.
A single variety of these cells wouldn’t work on a series of unconnected diseases.
With reference to the above example, hematopoietic cells cannot be used to regenerate brain cells. So, it is unlikely that a single string of cells would help with several conditions.
Stem cell banking is a simple and fairly painless procedure
Blood from the umbilical cord of a new born baby is usually collected when the cord is severed after birth and frozen for long-term preservation in specialized labs. However, before using stem cell banks in India, it is important to discuss your decision with your doctor, given that there are varieties of stem cells that you might need to preserve.
For successful treatments, stem cells need to be instructed as to how they should behave
This is proving to be one of the greatest barriers that researchers need to cross to establish successful treatments. For example, neural cells need to be grown into specific types of neurons to treat specific conditions. They also need to know what other neurons they need to make connections with for the treatment to actually work.
Scientists and researchers claim that stem cell therapy is continuously moving forward, building hope for a promising future. Stem cells banks in India are reliable and use only cutting edge technology to ensure the best preservation of your cord blood. So, if you have a family history of terminal illness, it is a good idea to use such a facility at the earliest.