Physician Organization Makes History by Publishing U.S.'s First Adult Stem Cell Guidelines (ASCTA Drives Safe Stem Cell Practices) The American Stem Cell Therapy Association (ASCTA) announced today the availability of the world's first clinical guidelines to allow U.S. doctors to safely begin using a patient's own stem cells to treat disease. Broomfield, CO (PRWEB) May 19, 2009 The American Stem Cell Therapy Association (ASCTA) announced today the availability of the world's first clinical guidelines to allow U.S. doctors to safely begin using the patient's own stem cells to treat disease. ASCTA was formed in response to the FDA's position that the patient's own stem cells are considered drugs and should be regulated as such. Strong opposition by physicians and patients worldwide motivated the effort to research and publish scientific guidelines that provide the medical community with standards under which adult stem cell therapy can be practiced safely. These stem cell therapy guidelines represent the world's first clinical guidelines designed to facilitate safe stem cell therapy practice. A key aspect of the document is the concept that adult stem cell therapy with the patient's own cells is governed under the practice of medicine, not under drug production guidelines. Barbara Hanson, the founder of StemCellPioneers, stated, "We are very excited to see the progress of these guidelines. They form the blueprint for access to safe stem cell therapy here in the U.S. by millions of patients whose lives depend on new medical approaches to diseases and conditions." Since the ASCTA's recent announcement that it was producing guidelines for care with stem cells, the organization has been flooded with emails and calls from both patients and physicians expressing support for the effort. In addition, a patient-driven movement, called SafeStemCellsNow, has formed at SafeStemCellsNow and is rapidly growing as word of the movement has spread. Adult stem cells can be processed with the same techniques commonly used in existing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) labs. "Like the human cells and tissue used in IVF, adult stem cells are not drugs," stated Christopher J. Centeno, M.D., a physician who worked on the guidelines and whose medical practice includes the use of the Regenexx procedure, which uses patients own stem cells to treat orthopedic conditions. "Making the stem cells in your own body a drug won't make them safer, will dramatically reduce availability of treatment, and will increase bureaucratic red tape." stated Dr. Centeno. "ASCTA has established guidelines of the highest standards so that American doctors can begin treating patients in the safest manner and do so in the foreseeable future rather than years or decades later if left to federal quagmire," stated Zannos Grekos M.D., an American Cardiologist and Director of Cardiac and Vascular diseases at Regenocyte Therapeutic, a company successfully treating patients with heart disease such as congestive heart failure and lung disease such as pulmonary fibrosis, COPD, and pulmonary hypertension. Adult stem cells have undergone much more research than embryonic stem cells and thus are closer to real world treatments. These adult stem cells are taken from the patient's own body (autologous) and ACSTA believes that they are therefore safest for use in treating patients. About Safe Stem Cells NOW!
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