Introduction
Modern treatment approaches are often based on the innovative principles of interventions, and stem cell therapy is one of the contemporary practices. As a resource for assessment, the website of Pacific Neuroscience Institute will be taken. This platform provides various methods of patient care, and the therapy in question implies involving the innovative method of treatment with stem cells.
According to Jethani (2019), this type of intervention is designed to restore individual body functions through regeneration, which is carried out after introducing these cells. The author of this article is Zara Jethani, and she argues that neuroscience is one of the priorities in modern medicine, and this approach to treatment may allow restructuring damaged tissues and cells (Jethani, 2019). Sponsorship provided by Gilead’s Kite gives an opportunity to conduct clinical research on this topic, and in addition, the website is supported by donations from interested parties. In general, the treatment technology considered is an innovative mechanism and can be regarded as an experimental rather than a proven technique due to the lack of clinical trials, although its perspectives may be promising.
Comparison of Claims About the Stem Cell Therapy
The registered cases of assistance provided through utilizing stem cell therapy are found in different sources. For instance, Stillwell (2018) argues that this type of treatment is extremely effective and gives a few examples of patients who have managed to regain lost vision. Moreover, The National Academies (n.d.) also provides a detailed description of the possibilities that stem cells reveal and consider the reasons for which modern scholars pursue research in this area.
However, not all the authors share the point of view about the indisputable benefits of stem cells for the human body. According to Goldman (2016), such interventions are unnecessarily risky due to an inadequate clinical base and, in addition, are extremely costly. Kamenova and Caulfield (2015) point out the ethical responsibility that such therapy may cause and argue that excessive trust in this technique is observed today. Therefore, judging by the analysis of different sources, opinions on the significance of stem cell therapy differ.
Evaluation of the Therapy’s Significance
Despite the periodic statements of the scientific community about the potential of stem cells, some authors consider this technique too publicized. For instance, Goldman (2016) notes that innovations in the field of neuroscience are a positive phenomenon. Nevertheless, the author remarks that too much hype around this topic exists today, and the free and even sharp language of his article proves his critical assessment (Goldman, 2016). The sensational background that is promoted today involves using a variety of scientific terminology, which, however, is difficult to evaluate for ordinary people. Therefore, despite all the evidence of the importance of stem cells in medicine, too bold statements should be taken wary.
Personal Evaluation and Recommendations
Based on the analysis of the sources and the target site reviewed, it can be noted that stem cell therapy is rather an experimental technique that, despite scientific research, cannot be perceived absolutely positively due to its high cost and not enough clinical studies. As a recommendation to patients who intend to participate in such programs, it is possible to offer them to study the official cases of proven success. In general, the rejection of innovations is a meaningless practice, and if a person experiences serious health problems, the decision to participate in such an intervention is logical.
Conclusion
The innovative mechanism of therapeutic interventions based on utilizing stem cells can hardly be called totally justified due to the insufficient number of studies and the experimental nature of these interventions. Individual researchers’ and journalists’ opinions about the significance of such therapies differ, and both the potential for further discoveries and excessive hype is mentioned. Participation in such programs is not illegal or reprehensible, but it is better to start by trying traditional treatments before turning to such ambiguous tools.
References
Goldman, B. (2016). Stem cell hype and risk. CBC Radio. Web.
Jethani, Z. (2019). Stem cell therapy and brain health: The future is now. Pacific Neuroscience Institute. Web.
Kamenova, K., & Caulfield, T. (2015). Stem cell hype: Media portrayal of therapy translation. Science Translational Medicine, 7(278), 278ps4-278ps4. Web.
The National Academies. (n.d.). Understanding stem cells: An overview of the science and issues from the National Academies. Web.
Stillwell, J. (2018). Stem cell therapy reverses sight loss and lets people read again. NewScientist. Web.