China Stem Cells Medical Centre

[MissyBella]

Has anyone had a look at this before?

URL DELETED

They sent a reply asking for my fathers medical records so they can determine whether the treatment will work or not and advise that they dont want patients going over there if they are determined not suitable..

Thanks
Melissa

[joelc]

Stem Cells do not work for ALS patients so we are unable to advertise for them.

Maybe one day they will but not yet.

Please don't waist your money, many have done this and all that happened was their bank accounts were drained.

Please be careful.

[Jennifer51]

I agree with Joel. I am most likely known on this forum as being VERY VERY keen to have stem cell as I am sure it WILL be the answer, but alas not yet. Do lots more research and ask more doctors, dont just believe what the sellers of this service are telling you. If you do more research I am sure you will come to a realisitic conclusion.
Just ask yourself this...how many people on this forum have been dx with als, how many have actually had stem cell treatment, and how many of them have got better?
The answers to these questions should tell their own story. Once something is found that WORKS, we will all know about it.

[Big Mike]

If all goes well, Neuralstem's stem cell technology may become available to all PALS in a few years. They are hoping to start an initial safety trial later this year. Keep your fingers crossed!

[Jennifer51]

Big Mike, that is the best news. I am hooked into them for news updates now.
As to the china one, someone, cant remember the name, put a post which I read yesterday. they had been to china, said a huge hole in the wallet was the only outcome.

[Jennifer51]

Has anyone had a look at this before?

URL DELETED

They sent a reply asking for my fathers medical records so they can determine whether the treatment will work or not and advise that they dont want patients going over there if they are determined not suitable..

Thanks
Melissa

Look under members and find John rt. He put a post in about someone who spent $54,000 to go to china for the treatment.. guess what...empty wallet no improvement

[patricia1]

I KNOW SOMEONE WHO WENT AND DID IMPROVE BUT GOES BACK EVERY 9 MONTHS
BUT HE IS SPEAKING AND GOLFING AGAIN:p
PAT

[rocmg]

So this is probably old news (2007)... but I wanted to alert you to this link: ........deleted........

It's a blog by a neuro. Everything points to saying, no, this technology won't work yet. however, it hasn't stopped people trying. the results from beike medical center in china haven't been all too encouraging. however, this chinese doctor, Dr. Huang, has been lauded and criticized in equal measure. He has freely admitted that he doesn't know how his procedure for ALS works... (...?...) but he says it has worked to some degree for some people. With a disease like ALS, a reprieve or remission of even a year is a huge deal. Some doctors in the western world say it's unorthodox because Dr. Huang can't systematically explain what it does and how... others have suspended their disbelief and think he's on to something... Of course, always beware of scammers! But never give up hope that this could work somewhere outside of the United States... The way things have been in America for the best part of this decade has led me to me a little skeptical of how they are handling things as well. Will the Obama administration be able to fast-forward medical research 8 years in a matter of months? Probably not. But if some scientists in the US feel that someone somewhere else in the world is on to something... is that reason enough to go for it? I don't know. It's a tough call... if you can spare the money (i.e. not have to remortgage your house, put your future in jeopardy) would you take the chance and hope it works for you? ALS is already 100% terminal.. it's not like by having stem cell therapy it's going to become MORE terminal. it's like a horrible game of russian roulette.

I feel kind of let down by "western medicine/protocol" today. on days like today, i'd sign mum up for it. that said, their are days i'm feeling a helluva lot more skeptical.
----

Wise Young, a research professor at New York University’s medical school, told The Scientist Huang’s work was interesting. “His results represent a credible phase 1 trial that establishes the safety and feasibility of such transplants. Preliminary analyses of the results suggest that the procedure may produce rapid but modest sensory and motor improvements in people from 2 to 40 years after injury. These results await confirmation with more rigorous controlled trials.”

[joelc]

I deleted the link because there are reports from PALS it does not work and the doctor himself said it is not a cure for ALS. Enough people have spent their life savings on false hope. I believe the day will come when this will work, but not yet.

The doctors statement: Huang himself does not claim a miracle cure.

A patients statement: My wife died from ALS just five months after treatment (2005).

[Zaphoon]

A cure isn't a cure unless it works. That means, it has to be effective against the disease, no matter who is carrying it. You couldn't say a cure had been found for polio if it only worked some of the time.

When a cure for ALS is found, it will be something that is effective in eradicating the disease on anyone it is applied to.

I recently read a statistic that stated knowledge is increasing at a rate of being doubled every 18 months. It use to be doubled in 500 year increments. I am hopeful that a cure for ALS will come about very soon. When it does come, it won't be a hit-and-miss cure, you can bet on that!

[rocmg]

but what is sporadic ALS is, as some suspect, a whole range of processes of which no individual has the same combination? the SOD1 mouse is the only animal that controlled studies have been carried out on in terms of evaluating new therapeutics... while it's the best model researchers have to go on, it could also be the reason so many drugs that looked promising in animal trials have failed in people trials. (leaving aside the very fact that humans are much more complicated than rodents.)

also, while Huang himself claims it's not a miracle cure, isn't a reprieve of even a year much better than anything PALS are offered at the minute?

Of course people a healthy amount of skepticism is needed when evaluating stem cell therapy... but i think it's also important to keep an open mind. the real breakthrough might not come through America.

[Big Mike]

As the other members have posted, please don't be fooled into believing that there is any treatments available RIGHT NOW. Companies like Neuralstem and Brain Storm still have to go through the necessary protocols to prove safety and efficacy of their stem cell treatments.

However, if there is clear benefit from the beginning and they are safe, these new treatments could be put on the fast track for approval in a few years here and abroad where these companies have formed alliances with other countries' medical centers. Again, keep your fingers crossed! :)

[patricia1]

Mike
i know someone that is much much better since going to china but it doesnt last so he goes back every year but he said he doesnt care. He is back to normal again.
I would go but who has that kind of money or guts

pat

[viviana]

patricia1, can you tell us more about the person you know going to China for stem cells? what do you mean he is back to normal? normal ..normal? or...kind of normal? details?

[patricia1]

He is a friend in tampa.has als 5 yrs had slurred speech and limb involvement. He now is walking and back to golfing and speech is fine.
However it last only 9 months.
Pat

[Big Mike]

A study from Mexico has shown some encouraging results with stem cells. Of course, it will have to be tested further for valiidation.

[URL="http://whyfiles.org/?p=1696"]

[GlenBrittle]

Its hard to tell with blurbs like that Mike.
Everyone is so different.
That could have happened without the trials.

If I win the lottery , then maybe I could afford to be trying stuff like that. I would go to different places in the world , just so I could say "I went to Germany, I had a nice trip to China, Mexico was warm , etc." Spending money foolishly would not matter.

Don't lose hope Mike . I will keep surviving until they find the cure. Something to live for.

:)

[Jennifer51]

We have a friend who lives nearby with limb onset als, into his 4th year now, heard yesterday that he has booked into the well known german centre for stem cell treatment in mid May...will report back. My neuro advised ME not to go.

[Big Mike]

Yeah, there was only 10 patients in the trial done in Mexico. Not exactly a large sample size. If they can duplicate the results in larger trials, then I will get excited! Otherwise, their results cannot be trusted at this time.