Even with all the discussion about embryonic stem cell research -- or perhaps because of it -- one important fact about stem cells often seems to get overlooked or misunderstood. Namely, that prominent moral and religious authorities approve the use of adult (non-embryonic) stem cells, such as those found in bone marrow or umbilical cord blood, for medical research and treatment.
I know a family that four years ago saved their son from cancer by using cord blood stem cells that were banked just after a sibling's birth. While the ill child was hospitalized during treatment, his mother met several other families dealing with an occurrence of a pediatric cancer -- but with one important difference. None had banked stem cells from their children's births, and most of those families had not found (and never did find) a donor to provide matching stem cells for a transplant. The mother said many of the families that had not banked cord blood stem cells had acted in a mistaken understanding that their religious beliefs precluded them from doing so.
Ironically, the volume level of the dialogue about embryonic stem cells is also drowning out another rarely spoken truth about adult stem cells: that medical science has already created many lifesaving treatments using non-controversial adult stem cells, and that much of the promising research for breakthrough treatments of fatal and chronic diseases also involves adult stem cells.
While political discussion has slowed progress on issues surrounding embryonic stem cell research, the science of harvesting adult stem cells has made important advances. LifebankUSA (TM), a division of Celgene Corporation, recently became the first company in the world to offer a service to store adult stem cells derived from the placenta as well those recovered from cord blood. Saving more stem cells not only improves the likelihood of success in treating numerous diseases, the placenta may also yield a greater diversity of (adult) stem cells, opening the door to potential new treatments.
Since placental and cord blood stem cells are recovered from by-products of birth (which after most deliveries are still usually discarded) and do not involve embryos, there are no ethical questions over the use of these stem cells in research or treatment.
A topic of discussion concerning adult stem cells is whether families should donate stem cells to pubic banks, or bank the cells privately (for the iron-clad assurance that the cells will be available, if needed, for the donor or potentially the donor's family). This discussion is pertinent to placental and cord blood stem cell banking, since childbirth is the only opportunity to collect and preserve these valuable stem cells.
The decision about whether to bank privately or publicly is personal for every family and involves considerations of family medical history, finances, and other factors. For example, minorities and people of mixed ethnic origin, should they need a stem cell transplant, are less likely than the general population to find a match from a public bank (it should be stated that most people in need of a stem cell transplant, regardless of factors such as ethnicity, still don't a find suitable donor). If someone has donated stem cells, there is no guarantee that his or her cells will later be available for personal or family use. The only way to ensure such availability is through private banking.
Unfortunately, the media has not been particularly thorough in clarifying all these facts for the public, perhaps in part because many reporters themselves are not completely clear on these details. There may also be skepticism among some journalists (and physicians) about the value of private stem cell banking, since many feel the odds of needing the cells are too remote. Given the advances in just the last 10 years, and the expectations of credible researchers about the potential to use adult stem cells in developing treatments for common affliction or injuries, the skepticism is clearly misplaced.