What progress in being made toward new treatments for heart disease?
Researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM) have recently taken significant steps forward in our labs. We have succeeded in using stem cells to remuscularize hearts of animals that have suffered heart attacks, and we can use stem cells to study heart disease in a dish and find new drugs. Indeed, we believe that discoveries being made today will usher in a future where stem cells are used to repair human tissue, improving quality of life for people around the world.
Is ISCRM conducting any clinical trials related to heart regeneration?
Right now, The Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine is not offering any stem cell-based treatment or any clinical trial for heart disease. You are welcome to check back periodically for updates. In the meantime, we recommend you continue to see your cardiologist.
What about businesses offering stem cell treatments?
You may read about stem cell “clinics” promising treatments and cures for many chronic ailments, including heart disease. It’s important to be aware that bone marrow transplant for restoring blood formation remains the only FDA-approved stem cell treatment. We urge you to exercise extreme caution when considering undergoing any treatment or enrolling in any trial, particularly if you are asked to pay out-of-pocket. Most of these predatory businesses are driven by profit, not a patient’s best interests.
For a list of FDA-approved clinical trials, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
For more information about stem cells, and for guidance on evaluating stem cell-based therapies, please visit www.closerlookatstemcells.org.
