The truth about "complete cure of diabetes with stem cells"

Money lost, illness remains.

In recent years, social media has been flooded with advertisements for the complete cure of diabetes using stem cell transplantation. The website Tebaogoc... advertises, "Eliminate diabetes with stem cell transplantation technology; for just 1.4 billion VND, you can regain 20 years of health," and mentions many amazing benefits of stem cells such as promoting the regeneration of pancreatic islet cells, protecting endogenous pancreatic islet cells, and improving insulin resistance.

An advertisement for treating diabetes with stem cell transplantation.

Speaking with a reporter from Giao Thong Newspaper, Dr. Nguyen Huy Cuong, a specialist in endocrinology and diabetes, affirmed: To date, stem cell therapy for type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients has not been proven effective and is still in the research phase. Stem cells open up a new direction for medicine, providing additional solutions to challenging problems. However, like all other treatment methods, stem cells, no matter how promising, must undergo rigorous research into their safety and effectiveness. This requires 10-20 years of testing and at least 5,000 participants.

Dr. Cuong said that at his Endocrinology and Diabetes clinic, he has received many severely ill patients who came for examination after undergoing multiple stem cell transplantation treatments for diabetes abroad, such as in Japan and Singapore.

This is the case of Mrs. NTP (63 years old, Hanoi ) who came to the clinic with very high blood sugar, weight loss, and general weakness. Notably, this condition occurred after Mrs. P underwent 5 stem cell transplants for diabetes treatment in Japan and 1 in Vietnam.

"The patient has had diabetes since 2010. They underwent six stem cell transplants (from 2018 to 2022), each costing 700 million VND. Following examinations and treatment, the patient's blood sugar level measured in 2022 was 13.9 mmol/l; after meals it was 28.9 mmol/l, and HbA1c was 13.5%," Dr. Cuong added.

After admission and treatment, Ms. P was prescribed insulin injections combined with oral medication and closely monitored. To date, her diabetes has remained stable, she has gained weight, her blood sugar has improved, and her HbA1c has decreased by half.

Diabetic patients need patience during treatment.

Treatment of diabetes using stem cells is still under research.

According to Dr. Pham Nguyen Quy, a specialist in Oncology at Kyoto University, Japan, "In Japan, specialized medical associations urge caution with over-the-counter stem cell therapies (where patients pay 100% of the cost to small clinics and hospitals) because they lack sufficient scientific evidence. The Japanese government allows some units to implement these activities if the implementation process ensures a minimum level of safety, not because they are effective. However, this confuses many patients because it is difficult to distinguish between treatments with clear scientific evidence and those still under research, such as stem cell therapy, leading to exploitation, fraud, and financial loss."

According to Dr. Cuong, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved the use of stem cells for the following three areas: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients with leukemia (white blood cell disease); Spinal cord stem cell transplantation to reconstruct the corneal surface, a process of creating a new cornea to replace a damaged cornea; and Skin stem cell transplantation for third-degree burns, not for anti-aging purposes.

Stem cell transplantation avoids the problems of donor shortages, but methods to avoid autoimmune reactions in recipients are still being researched. Using pancreatic islets derived from embryonic stem cells requires lifelong immunosuppressive medication, while using autologous stem cells can avoid rejection.

Therefore, Dr. Cuong warns patients and their families to be patient and wary of promises to cure diabetes with stem cells or various other medications or dietary supplements that are being rumored.

In Vietnam, research and application of hematopoietic stem cells in medicine and disease treatment have been underway since the 1990s. Currently, the Ministry of Health permits the use of stem cells to treat several blood disorders such as bone marrow failure, leukemia, blood diseases requiring bone marrow transplantation, osteoarthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Stem cell therapy using blood cells can cure many serious diseases related to the hematopoietic system, such as multiple myeloma, acute leukemia, thalassemia, etc. For mesenchymal stem cells, the potential for treating various diseases is based on two main mechanisms: the ability to differentiate into functional cells to replace damaged cells and the ability to regulate the immune system.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/thuc-hu-dieu-tri-triet-de-tieu-duong-bang-te-bao-goc-192250312083306403.htm