Clinical trials of an experimental treatment for Parkinson’s disease have produced disastrous results, which have produced irreversible damaged in study participants and cast doubts over the safety of stem cell transplants. Parkinson’s patient underwent surgery in an attempt to replace damaged brain cells with immature cells taken from aborted fetuses. The transplants were successful, however once implanted the cells continued to multiply, resulting in an over-production of dopamine. Some scientists now doubt the safety of using immature cells, for example stem cells, to try and repair damage to tissues.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.bbc.co.uk on the 13th March 2001
