A California-based company has received the go-ahead from the Food and Drug Administration for embryonic stem cell clinical trials to treat spinal cord injury and other conditions.  The company, Menlo Park-based Geron Corporation, has announced in a press release that the FDA has lifted its hold on the company's clinical trials.  The agency has given its approval for the Phase 1 clinical trial of GRNOPC1, in patients who suffer from severe spinal cord injury, to proceed.  This is the world's first clinical trial of human embryonic stem cell-based therapy for treatment of spinal cord injury.

The therapy centers on injecting embryonic stem cells into the spines of those suffering from the injury.  Researchers and California spinal cord injury lawyers hope that the embryonic stem cells will trigger the growth of damaged nerve cells, and will ultimately lead to the patient regaining movement and sensation in the affected area.  The study had been placed on hold by the FDA last year after some of the animals in the study developed cysts.  President Obama had given the go-ahead for the embryonic stem cell clinical trials last year, but Geron had been waiting for the FDA to lift its hold on the clinical trial. 

If the clinical trials are successful, it would mean a revolutionary development for the thousands of spinal cord injury patients not just in the US, but across the world.  In the US alone, there are approximately 2 million people living with some degree of spinal cord injury.  These people would have new hope if the clinical trials are successful. 

Much of that hope comes from the fact that embryonic stem cells are very versatile, and have the ability to turn into any kind of cells.  Researchers are hoping that this quality of embryonic stem cells will lead to the generation of new cells in the spine area, thereby helping the patient regain movement.  It's not just patients with spinal cord injury who might benefit if the clinical trials are successful.  Patients with Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis could also benefit from the therapy.

It’s being hailed as a groundbreaking discovery by scientists who revealed this new possible spinal cord injury treatment at the World Congress for Hair Research in Australia. The scientists believe that mice hair could be a possible new source of healthy stem cells which can help repair damaged cells in patients who suffer from spinal injury.

The discovery of the cells occurred by chance. Scientists at the research lab AntiCancer, in San Diego, were examining the skin of mice and found that the cells in these mice hairs could heal spinal cord injury in mice. Mice with spinal cord injuries that left them paralyzed were able to walk again after being treated with these healthy stem cells from their hair. The scientists placed the hair stem cells into the damaged nerve of the mouse, and found that the nerve soon rejoined. Very soon, the nerve was functioning almost normally again. The scientists backed up their theories with solid proof at the conference. A video was shown of a mouse with a severed spinal cord, which soon began scurrying about after being treated with the hair stem cells.

Spinal cord injury treatment research is an ongoing process and, to California spinal cord injury lawyers, it often seems like there are supposed “breakthroughs” that ultimately lead nowhere. However, this particular breakthrough could be different. The scientists have found that similar stem cells are also found in the hair of humans, suggesting a high likelihood that the treatment could work in humans too.

Obviously, transferring these benefits to human beings is not going to be simple. However, the fact that such dramatic improvements have been seen in mice, and that the cells are found in human beings, is definitely encouraging. It will be a while before California spinal cord injury attorneys and patients with spinal injuries learn if these treatments can be successfully replicated in human beings too.

It is estimated that 10 to 12 thousand people suffer some form of spinal cord injury every year in the USA. Approximately 250,000 Americans — that is to say, a quarter of a million Americans — are living with the long-term consequences of spinal injury, which can include chronic pain; secondary effects such as blood clots, infections, and breathing difficulties; even paralysis. That's more than 30 people a day who suffer an injury that could potentially leave them paralyzed in some way. Sadly, many injury victims aren't experts on the injuries they sustain and don't enlist an advocate who might secure them the best care.

Nearly 40% of spinal injuries are caused by car accidents, while about 25% result from violent encounters such as fights. The rest are caused by injuries occurring in the workplace or in sporting accidents. Many athletes at the peak of their careers retire early due to some form of spinal damage or the fear of such. In fact, the majority of spinal injury victims are men between the ages of 16 and 30.

These are unsettling statistics, implying that quite a few people are being injured right in the prime of their lives. Spinal injuries can rack up massive medical bills for victims, and that's in addition to the difficulties of chronic pain and the efforts involving therapy and total recovery. Plus, the suffering usually expands beyond the immediate victim, causing hardship and heartache for their families and friends as well.

That said, medicine's growing experience with, and knowledge of, spinal injury is offering new hope. Christopher Reeve remains one of the prominent examples of how far someone can come with proper attention after such an injury. Before his unfortunate death, the final result of being thrown from a horse which left him a quadriplegic, Reeve was reporting that he was regaining some sense of feeling and limited movement in his legs again. Doctors have found that specialized steroid medications can limit the severity of nerve damage and preserve movement abilities if applied soon enough after injury.

The Reeve case is but a small window to a possible future where spinal injuries are treated more quickly and effectively, and long-term injury is minimized. Victim advocates will likely play a large role in this in the form of experts who understand the law and how to use it to assist injury sufferers in getting the best treatment possible rather than the treatment someone else decides to give them. Victim advocacy will play an ever-increasing part in ensuring proper health care is administered as science progresses and there are more options to fight for.