As the U.S. Senate debates whether to expand the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, research with adult stem cells continues to treat a variety of diseases without killing human embryos. The Journal of the American Medical Association has released information about a study conducted in Brazil on patients with juvenile diabetes. The study found that thirteen of the fifteen treated patients are currently living normal lives and aren't taking insulin injections after being treated with their own stem cells. In the study, patients were given transplants of their own adult stem cells after chemotherapy was used to stop the patient's immune system from attacking cells which produce insulin. The adult stem cells then rebuilt their immune systems so the immune systems won't try to kill the body's insulin producing cells. One patient hasn't needed to use insulin for nearly 3 years.
The abstract to the study is available online at the web site of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
