Medical Can Stem Cells Cause Harm in the Fight Against Disease?

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The discussion highlights concerns raised by a Science magazine article regarding the side effects of stem cell transplants, particularly in a case where a young doctor experienced adverse reactions after treatment. It emphasizes the potential risks associated with using non-autologous stem cells, suggesting that using a patient's own stem cells may mitigate the risk of the body rejecting the transplant. The conversation also points to advancements in generating genetically identical stem cells through therapeutic cloning and reprogramming adult skin cells, noting that while these methods show promise, they remain experimental and require further research before clinical application.
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An article from Science magazine on the potential side-effects of stem cell cures:

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/07/stem-cell-transplant-helped-beat-back-young-doctors-cancer-now-its-assaulting-his-body

A stem cell transplant helped beat back a young doctor's cancer. Now, it's assaulting his body

This is something I've not considered. Stem cell research is the next big thing but it seems we'll need to limit it to our own stem cells in order to avoid a battle for supremacy between the body and the newer stem cells.
 
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Luckily, there are means to generate genetically identical stem cells from a patient's body for potential therapeutic purposes – using therapeutic cloning to generate embryonic stem cells or reprograming adult skin cells into https://stemcells.nih.gov/info/Regenerative_Medicine/2006Chapter10.htm. Of course, these are still experimental technologies that still require much work before they can be applied in the clinic but that research is ongoing.
 
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