Stem Cells: A Failed Story of a Successful Treatment
The world knows that many serious diseases can be treated with stem cells. Many surgeries have also been successful with this method. Still, what is the reason that it is not used even in major cities of the country? Why do doctors here not recommend the use of stem cells? What are the reasons why there are problems in its expansion?
Case-1 Mahendra, 61, of Jammu was seriously ill due to kidney failure for many years. Neither was he able to find a kidney donor nor did he have enough money to get expensive treatment. In such a situation, stem cell therapy gave him life. Mahendra, who got a new life through stem cell method, says that when I searched on the internet, I came to know that my treatment is possible with stem cells. Now I am living a completely healthy and normal life. Dr. Himanshu Bansal, who treated him, says that the investigation revealed that the patient's kidneys have been damaged. Creatine level had increased to 10.9. We performed the treatment by taking cells and fat tissue from the patient's bone marrow. Within two weeks of the operation the creatine level had come down to 6.2. The kidney has started to heal and is improving.
Case-2 Rosie Best, a 29-year-old NRI from South Africa, had come to Delhi for treatment of an eye disease. Here, Dr. Neha Sharma Kandhari of Regenerative Medicine at IBS Hospital successfully treated him with stem cell technology.
The above two examples show that stems cell treatment is being done successfully in India. Despite this, we are using this method less in comparison to the increasing number of patients. Only 0.1 percent people in India are associated with stem cell method. If it starts being used on a large scale, it is possible that we will be able to give new life to patients suffering from many serious diseases. The main role in this is played by stem cell banks, which are very few in our country. Only 13 banks have been formed in the last decade. Who are claiming to provide you safe stem cells for the rest of your life. Till date not a single hospital has been able to create its own stem cell bank.
Delhi AIIMS cardiologist Prof. According to Sandeep Seth, there is no claim that the stem cell method is effective in diseases other than blood-infected diseases. At present there is a need for research on this. Our research is mainly on blood related diseases.
What is this method: Stem cells are very useful in serious diseases in which the body cells get damaged. In such a situation, stem cells help in reviving those cells, due to which the disease is cured. Dr. Mayank Jain says that stem cells are very useful in more than 80 serious diseases. Like blood cancer, anemia, tumor, thalassemia, brain, lung, heart, liver and kidney related diseases. Its biggest benefit is in diseases occurring after 70 years.
Banking charges of Rs. 50 thousand for 21 years: Vipul Jain, CEO of Advances, a company working in this field, says that the blood present inside the tube connecting mother and child works as stem cells. The doctor is told in advance that 20 ml of blood should be kept separate during delivery. There are approximately 20-30 lakh cells present in each milliliter of blood. It is stored in cord blood stem cell banking. Companies enter into a contract with the customer and provide a barcode. This identifies its cell. At present, to avail the service of stem cell banking for 21 years, one has to spend up to fifty thousand rupees. This service is expected to become cheaper in the coming time.
No Proof of Success
There is no research that proves that the use of stem cells can cure any particular disease or make transplantation of any particular organ possible. It is clear that no matter how much is talked about, no one will waste a moment on this promising treatment method until the results are seen. Dr. Jayshree Ben Mehta, chairperson of the Medical Council of India, is also concerned that there is no scientific evidence that stem cells can cure anyone. The government has constituted a committee in the Indian Council of Medical Research for stem cell related research, but the emphasis on research is still very inadequate.
How to Become Popular?
The results of treatment of any disease are seen at the primary and long-term level. Stem cells work at a primary level, but research is yet to be done on how long this method of treatment will take to cure the disease, whether the disease will be cured, whether it will be durable or whether it will recur etc. Answer: Doctors are not able to recommend the use of this therapy with confidence and it is not possible for it to become popular in such a confusing situation.
Lab Built After 15 Years
Work on stem cells has been going on in India since 2001, but now an international level GMP lab has been opened for research in AIIMS, the most prestigious institute of medical science.
Treatment of 80 Diseases
On the basis of possibilities and research, it is claimed that treatment of 80 diseases is possible with its use, but successful examples are insufficient. The government is not giving incentives regarding stem cells. If government support increases, positive results will be seen.
Awareness
It is important to increase awareness about this method among the people. Many people find this treatment expensive. But if we look at its long-term results, it is not expensive. Many people do not even know about stem cell banking.
Banking Too Little
Despite the promotion by celebrities like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the practice of doing stem cell banking is still very low among the people. It is believed that this may increase in 2016.
How Much Does It Cost?
Stem cell treatment is cheaper here compared to countries like America, Britain, and Singapore. For this reason, patients from abroad also come here for treatment. The cost of stem cell transplant treatment is this much.
- India-7-8 lakh
- Singapore-13-14 lakhs
- America-19-20 lakhs
- UK-32-33 lakhs
However, some such cases have also come to light in India in which fraud has been committed in the name of cheap treatment.
All figures are in approximate rupees.
This Is How Stem Cell Banking Works
After the distribution of the cells, the placenta (canary), the baby's umbilical cord (the cord attached to the baby's umbilical cord), cord-blood (canary's blood) are preserved. Stem cells are formed from the blood of these three organs.
After removing cord blood from the umbilical cord, the doctor keeps it in a special bag. Once the collection is ready, people doing stem cell banking take it to the laboratory, where the red blood cells are separated after several tests. The cells are then packed in a special bag.
This is the last step, this kit is sent to stem cell banks in places like Mumbai, Chennai. As far as storing it is concerned, it is kept in a liquid nitrogen storage tank at a temperature of -190 degrees.