There may be new hope for patients with severe spinal cord injuries. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a study to test embryonic stem cells as a possible treatment for spinal injuries. The use of such embryonic stem cells, derived from adults and fetuses, has been controversial and the subject of much debate around the world.
The new study will be conducted by California-based biotechnology firm Geron. The company plans to test the treatment on eight to ten patients across the country. According to company officials, the goal is to see restored movement or sensation in the patients. More broadly, the study will test the overall safety of such stem cell treatments.
The study comes as President Obama is preparing to reverse Bush administration policy on federal funding for stem cell research. Geron officials said that the study was the first step in a long testing and analysis process, but that the potential benefits for patients are many. Patient advocacy groups called the study's approval a milestone in stem cell treatment research.
If someone you know has suffered a spinal injury as a result of another party’s reckless or careless behavior, it is important to have qualified legal representation. Please contact the Phoenix personal injury attorneys of Haralson, Miller, Pitt, Feldman & McAnally, P.L.C. by phone at 877-366-5557 for more information.