Spinal cord injury jockey 'ineligible for stem cell treatment'RSS Feed

A US jockey who has been left paralysed by a spinal cord injury has is not eligible for stem cell treatment, a leading doctor has said.

Twenty-four-year-old Michael Martinez has been declined the treatment for a number of reasons including the fact that patients with a severed spinal cord are automatically ineligible, Dr Richard Fessler from Northwestern University said.

In addition, MRI scans have so far proved troublesome because of the rods that were placed in his spine during the original surgery.

Northwestern University is one of seven medical centres to carry out stem cell treatment as part of biopharmaceutical firm Geron's clinical trials that were recently given approval by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Speaking at the time, Dr Richard Fessler commented: "If found to be safe and effective, the therapy would provide a viable treatment option for thousands of patients who suffer severe spinal cord injuries each year."

News from Serious Law, specialist spinal injury solicitors

Posted by Matthew Heap
 

Top spinal injury scientists meet in Las Vegas

22 September 2010

Some of the world's leading spinal injury researchers and doctors are meeting in Las Vegas this week.The annual meeting of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals is taking place in the city...

Read More...

Spinal injury pain relief drug found

21 September 2010

Spinal injury patients suffering from chronic pain may have a marijuana-like painkiller available to them.Anandamide is already in people's bodies and scientists have found a new compound that allows...

Read More...

Spinal cord injury drug moves into next phase of trials

16 September 2010

After successfully improving muscle tone in spinal cord injury patients in clinical trials, a new drug is progressing into the next phase of tests. Arbaclofen placarbil (AP), also known as XP19986, will...

Read More...