In this week’s post, Pam Bartha discusses the findings of new study that suggests that injecting a specific type of stem cell into the brains of patients living with progressive multiple sclerosis is safe, well tolerated, and may protect the brain from further damage for at least one year.
Is implanting stem cells into the brains of MS patients a groundbreaking treatment to reverse or stop the progression of disease in MS? Or is it yet another expensive procedure that could potentially provide minimal short-term relief? Why can’t we find a cure?
Current MS Treatments
After decades of research, there are now over 25 FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved disease modifying therapies (DMTs) available for the treatment of relapsing remitting MS, yet 2/3 of MS patients will still transition into the more debilitating secondary progressive phase of MS within 25 to 30 years of their diagnosis.
Most DMTs have shown only a slight effect on disease progression and MS associated rates of brain volume loss.[i]
Primary progressive MS patients experience a gradual, increasing and irreversible accumulation of disability and there is no medical treatment for this type of MS.
They have only one approved option for progressive MS and no approved therapies that reverse disability.”[ii]
These statistics show a hopeless future for anyone diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Potential new stem cell treatment for MS
The November 2023 phase 1 clinical trial, Phase I clinical trial of intracerebroventricular transplantation of allogeneic neural stem cells in people with progressive multiple sclerosis, enrolled 15 older, wheelchair or bed-bound advanced secondary progressive MS patients who had suffered from MS for more than 15 years.
This first in human phase 1 study was an open label (not double blind placebo controlled) study. The purpose of this study was to determine if this procedure is possible, safe and tolerated by secondary progressive MS patients.
Patients had fetal stem cells and immunosuppressive drugs injected into their brains at the same time.
No treatment related deaths or serious adverse effects were observed.
After 12 months, researchers found that none of the participants showed an increase in disability, a worsening of symptoms, a relapse or significantly worse cognitive function.
The researchers concluded that this stem cell treatment is possible in humans and it was tolerated by people with secondary progressive MS. They reported that with higher doses of the injected stem cells, they observed less of a decrease in brain volume.
Limitations of this study
- This is a small study of only 15 participants using a single donor of stem cells.
- The short duration of the study (12 months) limits the knowledge of long-term effects for both safety and efficacy.
- This was not a double blind placebo controlled study, so biases were not controlled.
- What was the effect of the immunosuppressant drugs injected at the same time as the stem cells?
- Inserting a catheter into the brain is an invasive procedure that may limit widespread use of this treatment. Is it possible or practical to provide this procedure to a larger number of patients?
- The stem cells derived from a fetal cell line will cause ethical concerns for some patients.
Decades of research focussed on suppressing the immune response in MS patients has been very lucrative for big Pharma, but an epic failure for people who suffer from multiple sclerosis. This new study is just more of the same type of research.
The goal of the vast majority of medical research is not to find a cure for MS, but rather to discover new lucrative patented maintenance treatments. These drugs do not stop the progression of disease and they’re definitely not a cure.
The international panel of experts responsible for developing the 2017 McDonald criteria which dictates how MS is diagnosed and treated, is fixated on treatments that suppress the immune system. Although there is ample research showing that MS is an infectious disease, these experts find no value in researching which parasites are causing multiple sclerosis. Why?
Is it possible that they are influenced by the funding they receive from drug companies that make and sell MS drugs? This is a clear conflict of interest and it is the biggest reason why most of the research is focussed on the same types of expensive immunosuppressive, maintenance pharmaceuticals and procedures.
Things won’t change until we demand change, take charge of our health and support research that strives to identify the specific parasites that cause disease. Medical schools must train our doctors to recognize and treat parasites in their patients early on so they can heal quickly and avoid disability.
There are real solutions to recover from parasites today!
To restore health, we must focus on treating the cause of inflammation, which are parasites. First, identify the enemy (parasites), then support the body and treat the parasites while following a holistic approach. When parasitic infections are treated effectively, we can overcome inflammation or disease.
If you’re frustrated with the fact that our standard of care STILL doesn’t offer a real solution for treating MS and other diseases, then click on the link below to watch Pam Bartha’s free masterclass training and discover REAL solutions that have allowed Pam and many others to live free from MS and other diseases.
CLICK Here to watch Pam’s masterclass training
Or take the Health Blocker Quiz to see if you could have parasite infections
References:
[i] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1934590923003934?via%3Dihub
[ii] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1934590923003934?via%3Dihub
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1008883
Clinically diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 28, Pam chose an alternative approach to recovery. Now decades later and still symptom free, she coaches others on how to treat the root cause of chronic disease, using a holistic approach. She can teach you how, too.
Pam is the author of Become a Wellness Champion and founder of Live Disease Free. She is a wellness expert, coach and speaker.
The Live Disease Free Academy has helped hundreds of Wellness Champions in over 15 countries take charge of their health and experience profound improvements in their life.
