Reneuron - second time lucky?

interesting article (Florida newspaper)

see 'RENE - research shop' thread

it begins:


Risk vs. hope: S. Floridians go overseas for stem cells

By Nancy McVicar
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Health Writer
Posted December 18 2006


David Aldrich, 49, was paralyzed in a boating accident more than four years ago, and had made his wishes known. If he were hospitalized again and in a near-death situation, he did not want to be resuscitated.

He thought there was no hope he would walk again.

But with his family's prodding and financial backing, the former licensed boat captain from Delray Beach traveled to China, where doctors are treating people with spinal cord injuries and other conditions with stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood. Out-of-pocket costs are high -- $20,000 to $25,000 on average.

While some umbilical cord stem cell treatments are available in the United States with special permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Aldrich said he opted to go to China because spinal cord treatments are not yet available here. The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis is doing research on embryonic stem cells in animals, but is not ready to try the treatments in humans.

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