California Cures!: How The California Stem Cell Program Is Fighting Your Incurable Disease!
California Cures!: How The California Stem Cell Program Is Fighting Your Incurable Disease!

Author: Don C Reed

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2018-03-19

Total Pages: 353

ISBN-13: 9813231386

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'An engrossing read that is hard to put down and packed with insights blend history and the latest research with broader examination of stem cell potentials to change not only health conditions, but society as a whole. No collection covering stem cell advancements should be without this hard-hitting examination that uses California's results as a foundation for considering stem cell's special promises and powerful obstacles to success.'Midwestern Book ReviewThirteen years ago, America faced an epidemic of chronic disease: cancer, paralysis, blindness, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and more.But California voters said 'YES!' to a $3 billion stem cell research program: the awkwardly-named California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Born into battle, the scrappy little state agency was immediately blocked by three years of anti-science lawsuits — but it defeated them all. And then?A quiet triumph. With a focused intensity like the Manhattan Project (but for peaceful purposes, not to build a bomb), scientists funded by CIRM took on the challenges: disease and disability called chronic: incurable.In a series of connected stories, accurate though written to entertain, 'California Cures' relates a war: science against disease, with lives on the line. Think what it means for a paralyzed young man to recover the use of his hands, or for a formerly-blind mother to see her teenaged children — for the first time!Do you know the 'bubble-baby' syndrome? Infants without a proper immune system typically die young; a common cold can kill. But for eighteen babies in a stem cell clinical trial, a different future: they were cured of their disease.No one can predict the pace of science, nor say when cures will come; but California is bringing the fight. The reader will meet the scientists involved, the women and men behind the microscope, and share their struggle.Above all, 'California Cures' is a call for action. Washington may argue about the expense of health care (and who will get it), but California works to bring down the mountain of medical debt: stem cell therapies to ease suffering, and save lives.Will California build on success — and invest $5 billion more in stem cell research?'We have the momentum', says author Don C Reed, 'We dare not stop short. Chronic disease threatens everyone — we are fighting for your family, and mine!'

Revolutionary Therapies: How The California Stem Cell Program Saved Lives, Eased Suffering - And Changed The Face Of Medicine Forever
Revolutionary Therapies: How The California Stem Cell Program Saved Lives, Eased Suffering - And Changed The Face Of Medicine Forever

Author: Don C Reed

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2020-03-04

Total Pages: 369

ISBN-13: 9811213305

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For author Don C Reed, father of a paralyzed son, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is the greatest medical advance since penicillin.REVOLUTIONARY THERAPIES is Reed's third book about the $3 billion stem cell program.Voted into law in November 2004, CIRM is now running out of money.Should its funding be renewed? Thereby hangs a tale, or rather several dozen of them, for each of the book's 71 short chapters is framed by a yarn or vignette.The factual background is accurate, vetted by the scientists, but Reed's goal is clearly both entertainment and education.A favorite example is a little girl named Evie, imprisoned in a plastic bubble: her body's immune system did not work, and she would die outside. She joined a CIRM clinical trial ... Imagine how Evie's parents felt — when she got well.Some stories are comical, like 'How Stem Cell Research Saved My Car'; others surprising, like the comparison between politics and the giant crocodile Gustave; others are tragic or inspiring: but all point to this: More than 100 million Americans suffer chronic disease, causing mountains of medical debt — and the only way to reduce that expense ($3 trillion last year) — is cure.Related Link(s)

Science, Politics, Stem Cells And Genes: California's War On Chronic Disease
Science, Politics, Stem Cells And Genes: California's War On Chronic Disease

Author: Don C Reed

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2023-02-13

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 9811261431

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Is there a way to fight back against 'incurable' disease? California thought so — and put its money where its mind was — three billion dollars' worth! And when that was gone, how about five and a half billion dollars more — to build and expand the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine?For some, science excites; it is the great adventure, to challenge the impossible: like a real-life battle with a giant squid, or the proposed disassembly of the Eiffel Tower, or ejecting from a jet in the sky, from a height greater than Mount Everest.For others, regenerative medicine is a mystery — could the urge to do murder have a genetic cause — which might be reduced?And for everyone, there is the fight to protect our loved ones' lives— 133 million of us, suffering from chronic disease — from America alone, a colossal cost of $3 trillion dollars last year.An epic battle, 'Science, Politics, Stem Cells and Genes: CALIFORNIA'S WAR ON CHRONIC DISEASE' takes the reader behind the scenes.An award-winning teacher, Reed shares science in stories — including the systematic assault on Alzheimer's disease, cancer, autism, epilepsy, liver failure, schizophrenia, obesity, stroke, sickle cell, arthritis, blindness, paralysis, kidney failure, ALS, aging, and much, much more.Readers can expect a greater understanding of the intricate adventure of stem cell research, as well as the political wrestling it took to make progress possible — that California's effort may benefit the world.From early research to clinical trials, America should take pride in the accomplishments of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.Read on.

Stem Cells: From Hype To Hope
Stem Cells: From Hype To Hope

Author: Khawaja Husnain Haider

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2020-03-19

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 981120554X

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During the last two decades, stem cells have progressed from merely a concept to a vibrant field of regenerative medicine which is aimed at addressing the root cause of the problem rather than conventional methods of intervention that mostly provide symptomatic relief.Stem cell therapy either alone or in combination with the other established treatment strategies is a hope for patients who suffer from the 'incurable' diseases such as Alzheimer, diabetes, myocardial infarction etc. Besides aspirations in the clinical perspective, stem cells provide excellent in vitro disease models for drug development.Given the significance of the field, the proposed book will be a compilation of the bench experience of experts from various research labs involved in the cutting edge area of stem cell research.

Stem Cell Battles: Proposition 71 And Beyond - How Ordinary People Can Fight Back Against The Crushing Burden Of Chronic Disease - With A Posthumous Foreword By Christopher Reeve
Stem Cell Battles: Proposition 71 And Beyond - How Ordinary People Can Fight Back Against The Crushing Burden Of Chronic Disease - With A Posthumous Foreword By Christopher Reeve

Author: Don C Reed

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2015-10-06

Total Pages: 440

ISBN-13: 9814618292

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This is a one-of-a-kind book: combining easy-to-understand science, in-the-trenches political warfare, and inspirational stories. It aims to give hope to individuals and families who suffer from chronic disease or disability; to point out how ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference in the battle to ease suffering and save lives through supporting medical research; to share in “people talk” some of the amazing progress already achieved in the new field of stem cell research; to show how even such a magnificent success as the California stem cell program is under constant attack from ideological groups; to offer medical research as a force for international cooperation; to suggest how cure research lessens the need for the mountainous costs of endless care.Unparalleled background: the author has been involved in virtually every important stem cell battle (state, national, and international) since embryonic stem cell research began. The author works closely with Robert N. Klein, sponsor of the California stem cell program, the largest source of such stem cell research funding in the world. In addition, the author is an award-winning teacher as well as writer, and seeks to entertain as well as educate. His book is not only substantive, but also fun.The book would be a treasured gift: for anyone suffering an “incurable” illness or who is a caregiver for a loved one; for a college student considering a rewarding career in biomedicine; for scientists who want to protect and enhance their research funding; and for anyone who wants to see government respond to the needs of its citizenry. Chronic disease and disability are a prison: cure is the triumphant escape — wheelchairs should be for temporary occupancy only.

Exploring Novel Clinical Trial Designs for Gene-Based Therapies
Exploring Novel Clinical Trial Designs for Gene-Based Therapies

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2020-08-27

Total Pages: 127

ISBN-13: 0309672988

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Recognizing the potential design complexities and ethical issues associated with clinical trials for gene therapies, the Forum on Regenerative Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a 1-day workshop in Washington, DC, on November 13, 2019. Speakers at the workshop discussed patient recruitment and selection for gene-based clinical trials, explored how the safety of new therapies is assessed, reviewed the challenges involving dose escalation, and spoke about ethical issues such as informed consent and the role of clinicians in recommending trials as options to their patients. The workshop also included discussions of topics related to gene therapies in the context of other available and potentially curative treatments, such as bone marrow transplantation for hemoglobinopathies. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.

Bugs as Drugs
Bugs as Drugs

Author: Robert A. Britton

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2018-02-01

Total Pages: 725

ISBN-13: 1683673026

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Examining the enormous potential of microbiome manipulation to improve health Associations between the composition of the intestinal microbiome and many human diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and cancer, have been elegantly described in the past decade. Now, whole-genome sequencing, bioinformatics, and precision gene-editing techniques are being combined with centuries-old therapies, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, to translate current research into new diagnostics and therapeutics to treat complex diseases. Bugs as Drugs provides a much-needed overview of microbes in therapies and will serve as an excellent resource for scientists and clinicians as they carry out research and clinical studies on investigating the roles the microbiota plays in health and disease. In Bugs as Drugs, editors Robert A. Britton and Patrice D. Cani have assembled a fascinating collection of reviews that chart the history, current efforts, and future prospects of using microorganisms to fight disease and improve health. Sections cover traditional uses of probiotics, next-generation microbial therapeutics, controlling infectious diseases, and indirect strategies for manipulating the host microbiome. Topics presented include: How well-established probiotics support and improve host health by improving the composition of the intestinal microbiota of the host and by modulating the host immune response. The use of gene editing and recombinant DNA techniques to create tailored probiotics and to characterize next-generation beneficial microbes. For example, engineering that improves the anti-inflammatory profile of probiotics can reduce the number of colonic polyps formed, and lactobacilli can be transformed into targeted delivery systems carrying therapeutic proteins or bioengineered bacteriophage. The association of specific microbiota composition with colorectal cancer, liver diseases, osteoporosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. The gut microbiota has been proposed to serve as an organ involved in regulation of inflammation, immune function, and energy homeostasis. Fecal microbiota transplantation as a promising treatment for numerous diseases beyond C. difficile infection. Practical considerations for using fecal microbiota transplantation are provided, while it is acknowledged that more high-quality evidence is needed to ascertain the importance of strain specificity in positive treatment outcomes. Because systems biology approaches and synthetic engineering of microbes are now high-throughput and cost-effective, a much wider range of therapeutic possibilities can be explored and vetted. If you are looking for online access to the latest clinical microbiology content, please visit www.wiley.com/learn/clinmicronow.

The Role of NIH in Drug Development Innovation and Its Impact on Patient Access
The Role of NIH in Drug Development Innovation and Its Impact on Patient Access

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2020-01-27

Total Pages: 103

ISBN-13: 0309498511

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To explore the role of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in innovative drug development and its impact on patient access, the Board on Health Care Services and the Board on Health Sciences Policy of the National Academies jointly hosted a public workshop on July 24â€"25, 2019, in Washington, DC. Workshop speakers and participants discussed the ways in which federal investments in biomedical research are translated into innovative therapies and considered approaches to ensure that the public has affordable access to the resulting new drugs. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Relieving Pain in America
Relieving Pain in America

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2011-10-26

Total Pages: 383

ISBN-13: 030921484X

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Chronic pain costs the nation up to $635 billion each year in medical treatment and lost productivity. The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act required the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enlist the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in examining pain as a public health problem. In this report, the IOM offers a blueprint for action in transforming prevention, care, education, and research, with the goal of providing relief for people with pain in America. To reach the vast multitude of people with various types of pain, the nation must adopt a population-level prevention and management strategy. The IOM recommends that HHS develop a comprehensive plan with specific goals, actions, and timeframes. Better data are needed to help shape efforts, especially on the groups of people currently underdiagnosed and undertreated, and the IOM encourages federal and state agencies and private organizations to accelerate the collection of data on pain incidence, prevalence, and treatments. Because pain varies from patient to patient, healthcare providers should increasingly aim at tailoring pain care to each person's experience, and self-management of pain should be promoted. In addition, because there are major gaps in knowledge about pain across health care and society alike, the IOM recommends that federal agencies and other stakeholders redesign education programs to bridge these gaps. Pain is a major driver for visits to physicians, a major reason for taking medications, a major cause of disability, and a key factor in quality of life and productivity. Given the burden of pain in human lives, dollars, and social consequences, relieving pain should be a national priority.

Flesh Made New
Flesh Made New

Author: John Rasko

Publisher: HarperCollins Australia

Published: 2021-02-01

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13: 1460711467

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The dazzling promise of stem cell medicine: does it work and will it save us? Two experts look at the hype For decades, we've been anticipating the dawn of regenerative medicine. Again and again, we've been promised that stem cells will soon cure just about every ill imaginable. If not tomorrow, then the next day, or the day after that, and so on. We're still waiting. This book is an antidote to hype and a salve to soothe the itch for stem-cell salvation. In it, Professor John Rasko, a leading physician-scientist, and writer-historian Carl Power take us on a wild historical tour of this scandal-prone field. They expose all the dirty little secrets that the hype merchants prefer to ignore - the blunders and setbacks, confusions and delusions, tricks and lies. You'll meet Alexis Carrel, who discovered how to cultivate cells in a test tube: celebrity surgeon, scientific genius and suspected Nazi sympathiser, he opened the field of modern cell science with an experiment so bogus it blocked the way forward for the next 50 years. You'll meet Don Thomas, who developed bone marrow transplantation - the first successful stem-cell therapy - but only after a miserable decade in which most of his patients died. Alongside true stem-cell pioneers, you'll meet charlatans who cooked their data and claimed fake cures - sometimes with fatal consequences. Is there any good news? Which of the many promises of stem-cell research have been kept? And what of the future? Rasko and Power insist that we can only know where we're going if we have a sense of where we've been. Their study tears down the hype surrounding stem cells in order to reveal what's still worth hoping for. PRAISE 'If you love some scandal with your science - or some science with your scandal - this is THE book for you. Brilliant stuff' Adam Spencer, University of Sydney 'Science, skulduggery and snake oil salesmen ... it is a revolution in medicine but who knew the story of stem cell science was such a ripping yarn!' Fran Kelly, ABC Radio National Breakfast 'Science isn't magic: it's a human enterprise. This enthralling book tells of high achievement and astonishing blunders in a vital field of research' Robyn Williams, science journalist and broadcaster 'A masterpiece in myth-busting which helps separate fact from fiction in the world of regenerative medicine. It shines a light on some episodes in medical history many would rather forget but also shows a way forward for stem cell research breakthroughs grounded in solid science' Sophie Scott, national medical reporter, ABC 'The stem cell revolution: myths, mistakes but mighty medical masterpiece' Sir Gustav Nossal, AC CBE FRS FAA, Australian of the Year 2000 'A compelling (and compulsory) read for anyone entranced by the latest media-promoted breakthroughs in medical research, or planning translation of new biomedical research into clinical practice' Ian Frazer, AC, FRCPE, FRCPA, FAA, FTSE Australian of the Year 2006, Australian Living Treasure 2012 'Is it really stem cells' turn to revolutionise health care? When you come across a train wreck, keep reading! You'll discover that stem cells reveal medicine in its most provocative and challenging light' Antony Basten AO FAA FTSE 'Flesh Made New is a revelation for the general reader about what lies beneath the surface of exciting scientific advances ... The book shows the value of patience and trust in robust evidence-based scientific research, and where things go off the rail, for whistleblowers and experts like the authors of this book' Lucy Turnbull AO, businesswoman, urbanist and philanthropist