Stem cell therapy aims to 'cure' paralysis from spinal cord injuriesRSS Feed

A new stem cell therapy for patients with spinal cord injuries is being developed, with its creators hoping that it could one day act as a "cure" for paralysis.

Dr Hans Keirstead, a professor of anatomy and neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine, has taken human embryonic stem cells and coaxed them into becoming spinal cord cells, reports WNDU.com.

He stated that he injected the concoction into paralysed rats and within six weeks the rodents were walking again.

Human trials could start later this year, Dr Keirstead revealed, with the hope that they will experience minimal movements within three months.

The treatment is designed only for use in patients who experienced a spinal cord injury within the past two weeks.

Some critics have accused Dr Keirstead of pushing the treatment on people too quickly, although any human trials would be regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, the news provider added.

It is currently Brain Injury Awareness Month in the US, which the Brain Injury Association of America and its affiliates have used to help educate coaches and young athletes about the risks associated with head injuries.

Serious Law, leading spinal cord injury solicitors

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