SCIENCE: FIRST STEM CELL BANK FOR PRIVATES OPENS IN ZAGREB (ANSAmed) - ZAGREB, MARCH 11 - The first stem cell for personal use in Croatia was opened at the Institute for Blood Transfusion at the Zagreb Hospital and Clinical Centre. The new stem cell bank, as South-Eastern Europe Times online reports, will allow parents to store stem cells from the umbilical cords of their newborns for 2,000 euro. The cells will be stored for years and, if necessary, can later be used to treat certain types of disease. (ANSAmed). 2008-03-11 17:21
http://www.ansamed.info/en/news/ME07.YAM17211.html

The Wisdom of Oz

Visualize the surreal image of Oprah Winfrey, Michael J Fox and Dr. Mehmet Oz, wearing purple surgical gloves, sitting on stage around a human brain. Dr. Oz explains the absence of Nigro-Striatal Neurons in the brain of Parkinson’s patients while lifting out partially dissected chunks of brain and placing them into Michael’s shaking hand.

The camera zooms in as Dr. Oz steadies Michael’s hand in his. Dr. Oz weaves an intimidating, steel needle between Michael’s gloved and trembling fingers and illustrates the procedure for injecting stem cells into the brain by plunging it both into and through the quivering cerebellum. Michael’s legs spasm and contort and my stomach clenches empathetically with what I sense is Michael’s extreme discomfort, but is really a symptom of his condition.

And yet, NOTHING could have prepared me for what happened next as Dr. Oz, unbelievably and without prelude or warning, makes the stunning statement:
“I think, Oprah, the stem cell debate is dead.”

“The problem with embryonic stem cells is that embryonic stem cells come from embryos, like all of us are made from embryos, and those cells can become any cell in the body, but it’s very hard to control them and so they can become cancer.”

While astonished by his public announcement, I soon began to wonder: “why did Dr Oz only briefly allude to the potential of iPS cells and the proven benefits of adult stem cell treatments?” And then it became clear.

Dr Oz recognizes that the average person on an American street is led to believe, “a stem cell is an embryo is a stem cell”. Due to years of misleading media saturation, as far most Americans know, there are no other stem cells besides embryonic. Walk down the street and ask someone “what is an adult stem cell…what is an iPS cell”, and your inquiries will surely be met by blank stares.

So in retrospect, what Oz DID do, was truly…amazing.

Shunning the history of the love/hate affair Americans have with Embryonic stem cell research and ignoring the majority of US media over the past 5 years, the decrees of President Obama’s funding policies, the positions of the FDA and AMA and the fruitless decade long public pursuit of embryonic cures undertaken by Michael J Fox (with the benevolent and optimistic spirit of Christopher Reeve hovering over him) and before the bewildered eyes of Michael, Oprah and ~7.2 million viewers, Dr Mehmet Oz nailed the coffin shut on ESC treatments:
“I think, Oprah, the stem cell debate is dead.”

With this one simple statement on national TV, Dr Oz has taken the first step towards educating the American public about the current insurmountable limitations of embryonic stem cells and cracked open the door to the American collective mind-set regarding the potential of iPS cells and the reality that Repair stem cells (RSC) have been treating diseases around the world successfully for a decade. Despite the fact that thousands of American doctors refer to RSC as “snake oil,” more and more American patients are realizing that the US medical system is faltering, dated and just not working while the greatest medicine the world has ever seen is available just beyond the borders of their own country.

The seeds planted by Dr Oz will take a long time to find purchase in the collective American mind-set. There is too much embryonic momentum, media and drama, and America loves drama. Embryonic stem cells will not go away and like Romeo and Juliet, this love/hate affair may have to run its course for most, despite Dr Oz stealing the “distilled liquor” and Romeo’s poison and dagger in an attempt to avoid all of the deaths at the end of this play.

To read more about this grim fairy tale: http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/a-grim-fairy-tale-americas-doomed-love-affair-with-embryonic-stem-cell-research-intro-the-romance-is-an-illusion/

One step at a time we will climb this mountain and slowly open American eyes to improve their knowledge of treatment options so all can intelligently exercise the freedom of choice in their individual medical care. One inch at a time, Oz wisely created a pathway to an amazing new world of available medical treatments for what were previously believed to be incurable diseases and are in fact treating patients successfully around the world.

Dr Oz took this first step and it was a HUGE first step!

So from where I am sitting, I would like to express my heartfelt and sincerest appreciation for Dr Oz’s bravery, statements and actions. Thank you, Dr. Oz and thank you Oprah; for allowing this sage doctor the forum to break the walls restricting millions of Americans from the knowledge of the medical treatment options they so unquestionably deserve.

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Here is the actual transcript based on my ears and fingers and a lot of patient rewinding:

“I think, Oprah, the stem cell debate is dead.”

“The problem with embryonic stem cells is that embryonic stem cells come from embryos, like all of us are made from embryos, and those cells can become any cell in the body, but it’s very hard to control them and so they can become cancer.”

“I can take a little bit of your skin, take those cells, get them to go back in time so they are like they were when you were first made, and then they will start to make that dopamine & I think those cells, because they won’t be as prone to cancer & because they’re your genes will be the ones that are ultimately used to cure Parkinsons.”

“I think we are single digit years away from making a big impact in the lives of Parkinson’s disease but also diabetics, heart disease, people who have had a lot of problems.”

To see the original video: http://www.oprah.com/media/20090319-tows-dr-oz-brain

HEALTH: GREECE'S 2ND STEM CELL BANK TO OPEN IN THESSALONIKI (ANSAmed) - ATHENS, APRIL 23 - A public research stem cell bank will be founded at Thessalonikìs Papageorgiou Hospital. The announcement was made today by Greek deputy Health Minister Athansios Yannopoulos who was speaking at the 22nd Medical Congress in Northern Greece. According to the deputy health minister, a special committee will outline the specifications that are necessary for a stem cell bank to operate, for which relative legislation will be based. The Athens Academy stem cell bank is the only such bank currently in operation in Greece. Stem cells are primal cells common to all multi-cellular organisms that retain the ability to renew themselves through cell division and can differentiate into a wide range of specialized cell types. The stem cells can be taken only in the case of in vitro fertilization and clinical tests made so far were aimed at treating people with cancer. (ANSAmed). 2007-04-23 16:44
http://www.ansamed.info/en/news/ME06.@AM16435.html

Gairdner award honours noted stem-cell scientist

Shinya Yamanaka among international researchers who will receive 'baby Nobels' in Canada this year

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail,March 31, 2009 at 6:00 AM EDT

SCIENCE REPORTER

Shinya Yamanaka, the Japanese researcher who transformed skin cells from the wrinkled face of an 81-year-old man into stem cells, is one of this year's winners of the prestigious Canada Gairdner Awards for medical research.

The awards, to be announced today, will be presented in Toronto in October. They are known as the "baby Nobels" because 73 winners over the past 50 years also became Nobel laureates.

Dr. Yamanaka discovered a way to reprogram adult cells so they regain the superhero-like abilities of embryonic stem cells, which give rise to every type of cell - blood, bone, brain and 250 other specialized cells that make up the human body.

via globeandmail.com: Gairdner award honours noted stem-cell scientist.

Please help me help this family that is getting the run around from the government. Help this family out and sign the petition and PLEASE pass it around! The more signatures the better!
Thanks all!

Delanie Ceretti has autism.  So does her twin sister, Mackenzie.  As of December 30, 2008, Delanie, who is just 5-years-old, will lose her funding for her IBI therapy.  WHY?  The Government needs to cut back on IBI funding.  They are willing to write this child off at AGE 5, while her sister will continue to benefit from therapy.  We have seen first hand that she has so much potential.  We cannot let this happen.   Please support our fight to help Delanie keep her funding.

To sign the petition:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/delanie-is-worth-it

To see a video of an Autistic girl after being treated with stem cells:

http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/stem-cells-autism-cure/

To find the stem cell treatment centers around the world that are currently and successfully treating Autism:

http://repairstemcells.org/Treatment/Treatment-Request.aspx?d=Autism