the use of what is called embryonic stem cells which
literally means those cells that can be derived from aborted
-
imentation. This was long decided never even to be an issue.
It is impossible, not that I would ever want them, to ever get
those cells anyway.
The doctor explained that stem cells are harvested in two
ways now. One way is called autologous, that is harvesting
stem cells from the tissue of a person to return then to that same
person. The problem is that by the age of 15, we virtually have
no stem cells to harvest. What is produced, if anything is inferior.
Dr. Courtney uses homologous stem cells. These stem cells
are harvested from the placenta and embryonic cord of moth-
are put in place to ensure that the mother donating the cells is
FREE
He believes that stem cells are the hope for stroke victims, the
blind, the diabetic, but he also believes there is a reason that
regenerative medicine through the use of stem cells is not more
diligently pursued.
“You would think that with something as miraculous as
the potential of stem cells to correct medical challenges of just
about any type you could name, there should be extensive research
going on all over the place because obviously medicine
couldn’t avoid seeing that potential work for others, but in fact
-
tual absence of research going on at the university level which
is really the heart of how our medicine actually gets scrutinized
and actually makes it into the public as being an approved
therapy. There is virtually no research going on except in a few
isolated pockets with respect to stem cells.
Dr. Courtney believes the problem is economic. “You can
upset the economic applecart that is in play with the brilliant
surgeons. If men of medicine embraced stem cells they would
literally be out of work the next day. Nobody wants to have
a surgery, they just think ‘Well, I gotta do it because he told
me this was going to hap-
“This isn’t embraced
by conventional medi-
-
considered by the FDA
to be experimental and
they will remain experimental
until there is
enough research programs
where sophisticated
university research is
conducted that can allow
them to move from experimental
to accepted.
If you have no research
programs in play, you’ve
completely controlled the
smooth running of how
this would have normally
worked itself through
Another obstacle
that has stood in the way
of stem cell use with the
public is a connection to
abortion that was made
in the public debate over
embryonic stem cells in
the later years of last century
and the beginning
of this century. That, Dr.
Courtney said, has not
been an issue for many
years.
Bush completely outlawed
FLORIDA WOMEN MAGAZINE 813.682.9364 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 • 25