Frequently Asked Questions
Stem cells are the master cells in our bodies that control the body's repair and regeneration of damaged tissues. They direct other cells to revascularise tissues, such as in the heart muscle to improve blood flow to an area that is starved for blood supply.
A small amount of tissue is taken from bone marrow, blood, fat, or skin. The procedure is painless. This sample is then sent to a laboratory where the stem cells that are needed are isolated and harvested into the many millions that are required to be therapeutic.
Medical tourism is a having a major impact on provision of health care globally. Its growth has been phenomenal representing over $20 Billion last year. There were over 19 million trips last year alone. This is largely because many countries offer truly world-class hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment and predominantly Western trained medical staff - at a fraction of the cost.
Patients invariably comment that they had no idea they would be enveloped in such five-star surroundings and cared for so solicitously by nurses who have the time to smile and the compassion to spend time on all the little things that make patients feel safe, special and relaxed. The doctors are always willing to answer any and every question in an unhurried and courteous manner that puts the patient at ease.
Our pre-qualified recommended hospitals have been treating scores of patients with adult stem cells. Different countries and hospitals offer different treatments for diseases like Diabetes, Stroke, Alzheimer's, Ataxia, Parkinson's to name a few. To date the success rate has been a conservative 75% - with patients able to rejoice in returning to an active life when they had been told there was nothing more that could be done for them.
Cell therapy is not new. In fact it has been around for over 70 years. Doctors use extracted bone marrow to treat leukemia patients and cancer patients every day, this is cell therapy. It is safe and effective. The revolution in identifying and growing specific cells to perform specific healing is the new medical breakthrough. In the future, scientist and doctors will isolate and grow cells to perform what they naturally do in the body, repair damaged tissue, only this may be done right in the doctors office, no need for a laboratory to grow cell for weeks, perhaps it will be able to be done in a few hours.
Yes, adult stem cell therapy is approved for various conditions and treatments. Stem cell companies work with hospitals and go through clinical trials. There are Phase I, Phase II and Phase III of these trials, the purpose of which is to ensure safety and efficacy - in other words that patients truly benefit. There are currently 746 Clinical trials underway in the United States alone. However, a patient must be accepted into a clinical trial under very strict guidelines, therefore many patients are denied treatment.
The European Union has also approved Adult Stem Cell therapy in countries like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to name a few. Again, specific stem cell companies work with hospitals to get approval for specific conditions, like urinary incontinence. However, the approval process is more efficient in the EU and Asia allowing for a broader array of patient options. You can request clinical information for your specific condition.
Cell therapy is simply helping your body do what is does naturally. If you get a cut on your skin, stem cells in your blood go to that cut. They lodge in the damaged tissue and receive signals from the adjacent damaged tissue. The stem cell responds by sending out it own signals or ( emails ) to the body. It requests materials, like proteins, to rebuild what was damaged, to regenerate the tissue, the natural healing process.
Modern stem cell therapy is the process of finding the adult stem cells that are best at repairing specific damaged tissue, be it vascular, heart, neurological, pancreas, etc. These specific cells are isolated in the lab, cultured, multiplied and activated. They are your repair cells, your DNA and know how to fix you. Then the doctor puts them back into your body, targeted to the damaged tissue. This can be by IV, direct injection into the heart muscle, direct injection into damaged spinal cord, direct injection into the pancreas or direct injection into the area of the brain damaged by stroke.
The stem cells can do two things. Differentiate and mature into that type of tissue - a nerve cell, heart muscle, cartilage or whatever. They can also help support other cells resident in that tissue to mature into healthy cells. In some case both situations may occur. This process is still being investigated and holds the key to future medical treatments. One thing for sure is that adult stem cell therapy is being used today to treat somebody with a similar condition you are concerned about. Contact us and we can help guide you to the best available therapy today.
In 1997 scientist identified stem cells at the University of Wisconsin. At that time, cell therapy was primarily used to treat leukemia and cancer with bone marrow transplant. Scientist noted, "It will 10 years before this breakthrough reaches medical applications." Well it is now 11 years and adult stem cell therapy is being used on a regular basis around the world. Disease like Diabetes, MS, ALS, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Stroke, Ataxia and Spinal Cord injury are being treated safely and effectively today. It is truly a global phenomenon with places like Singapore, Thailand, China, and The Philippines leading the way.
Stem cell therapy has evolved with the progression of molecular biology. The Human Genome project cracked the DNA code in 1997. This lead to less expensive lab equipment and a better understanding of what cells actually do, how they do it and most importantly how they communicate with other cells. One major challenge is on average 85% of patients see improvement after adult stem cell therapy. The other 15% do not see improvement. Why this happens is unclear, and is important to recognize this fact when treatment is sought.
In the future, cellular communication, the biochemical "email" used to send repair signals holds great promise for regenerative medicine. Currently, stem cell therapy sends the entire cell to the damaged area to oversee the cellular communication process. Perhaps, one day with nano-technology, we may just send the small doses of these biochemical messengers via a delivery vehicle. In fact, this is being done today at the University of Pennsylvania. They are using iron based nano-particles and attaching them to stem cells. They inject into an animal and use an electro-magnetic field to guide the stem cells to the damaged area of the body. The stem cell attaches and starts doing the repair work.
Stem cell therapy is personalized medicine. Your cells and your DNA are the source for cell treatment. The cells are harvested in a small volume and must be isolated, the strong cells found and cultured in a lab. Then a medical protocol is followed to infuse the cells back into your body. The average cost for this type of medical and cell therapy ranges from USD$25,000 to $40,000 for most indications. Country location, number of injections, procedure and medical protocol will vary by condition. Please contact us for a quotation.
Patients invariably comment that they have received far better, more compassionate and skilled care than they would have received at home. The hospitals and clinics used are state-of-the-art in terms of equipment and staff. There are seldom any dietary or language problems and providers always meet patients at the airport and then ensure they are very well looked after.
Asian hospitals are noted for the fact that the nursing staff spend time with their patients and attend to every comfort and detail. Most Western hospital staff do not have the time to do this any more as they are stretched and over-worked.
This is easy to answer. Yes autologous stem cell procedures are totally safe as the cells come from your own body. There cannot be any problems of rejection because they carry the patient's own DNA.
