Med-Spot on Med-Source: Diabetes & Stem Cells

Med-Spot - Diabetes & Stem Cells

Preliminary Study Results: 4.16. 07 Brazilian and US scientists have used autologous stem cell transfusions to allow type 1 diabetics to forgo insulin use.

Insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. (UCHSC)

• The Pros
• 13 of 15 patients remain insulin free, and are off all diabetic medications.
• “It’s the first time in the history of type 1 diabetes where people have gone with no treatment whatsoever ... no medications at all, with normal blood sugars,” said study co-author Dr. Richard Burt of the Feinberg School of Medicine.
  
• The Cons
  
• Patients must undergo stem cell harvesting followed by high-does chemo and then stem cell transplant requiring a 3 week hospitalization.
• Patients face standard chemotherapy side effects and risk of lethal infection while immunocompromised.
  
• check out the article here - Voltarelli JC, et al. 2007. Autologous Nonmyeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. JAMA 297:1568-1576.