Autism Stem-Cell Therapy To Be Tested In Kids In Trials

[xchrom]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-21/stem-cell-therapy-for-autism-to-be-tested-in-first-trial.html

Researchers are recruiting autistic children for a study that will test whether injecting stem cells banked from their umbilical cords can lessen symptoms and provide insights into the nature of the disorder.

While stem cells have been promoted, and sold, as a treatment for autism, few clinical trials have been conducted to see whether they’re effective. The study, which begins enrolling patients today, is the first of its kind approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to assess the use of stem cells as a potential autism therapy, said Michael Chez, director of pediatric neurology at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento, California, and the principal investigator.

About 1 in 88 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with an autism-related condition. The disorder hurts brain development and is linked to poor social interaction and communication skills, repeated body movements, and unusual attachments to objects.
“With this study we’ll be able to answer in a firm way that this is truly an observed effect, or we didn’t get an observed effect,” Chez said in a phone interview.

[trotsky]

1. While I welcome this kind of news...

it bothers me that ASD kids are viewed as patients we need to "cure." I think perhaps for the more profoundly disabled kids, those that cannot communicate or take care of their own basic needs, it could be useful. But when little Johnny or Jackie is high on the aspie scale, socially awkward, obsessed with a subject area, etc. - I think we as a society would suffer if we "cured" people like that.

[xchrom]

2. indeed. i am ambivalent -- it gets a little close to home for me. nt