Because Nina wanted a source for a "Dangers of ASCs" post I made to PIEN,
Diane Wyshak and I turned up yet another case of misrepresentation of the
efficacy of ASCs for cures. This time it is Hwang Mi-soon, spinal cord
injury patient. Wesley J. Smith of the right-wing Discovery Institute is
still touting Hwang as another ASC "Success". I could not find evidence
that he ever updated his readers on her condition although he claims to have
done so, saying to me that failure of 2nd surgery was due to infection or
unethical treatment. Thank goodness young Steven Edwards, spinal cord
injury patient and super smart guy who can help you understand scientific
papers, knows what is going on. It is too bad patients have to fight this
battle, but we do know if we are cured, don't we?
Ray
Exploiting Paralysis 101
03.09.06 | 2:00 AM
by Steven Edwards
Hwang Mi-soon was paralyzed from the hips down for 19 years when, in 2004,
South Korean researchers implanted umbilical-cord stem cells in her spinal
cord. The experimental surgery led to a visually dramatic recovery.
She showed off her new ability to walk, with the help of braces, at a Nov.
25, 2004 press conference. The anti-embryonic stem-cell research crowd loved
it. The results were a giant step toward proving that embryonic stem cells
were unnecessary, they said. Umbilical-cord stem cells were relatively easy
to get and free of the controversy surrounding embryonic stem cells. (This
research is unrelated to that of the recently discredited South Korean
researcher Hwang Woo-suk.)
"The pro-life community can say to supporters of embryonic stem-cell
research, we told you so," wrote Tony Perkins, president of the Family
Research Council, in his Nov. 29, 2004 "Washington Update," in response to
Hwang's recovery.
When Hwang's surgery was published in the Sept. 2005 issue of Cytotherapy
("In this case report, we have shown that umbilical cord blood-derived
multipotent stem cells improved the condition ... of an SPI patient who had
suffered for about 20 years," the authors wrote), the frenzy's intensity
increased.
Wesley J. Smith, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute blogged
propagandistically about the results, saying the treatment "offers
tremendous hope for paralyzed patients." He also suggested the results were
ignored by the American press because the media is only interested in
embryonic stem-cell research: "Can you imagine the headlines if the cells
used had been embryonic?"
Encouraged by her improvements, Hwang agreed to a second treatment, with
dreams of permanently leaving her wheelchair, walker and braces behind.
Unfortunately, the second surgery was not followed by a press conference.
Hwang's optimism was replaced by debilitating and severe pain.
An observation that appeared toward the end of the published study might
explain the second surgery's failure: "However, we cannot exclude the act of
laminectomy, which can release compressed areas of the spinal cord, because
we have reported on only one case study," the authors wrote.
Compression occurs when bone presses against the spinal cord, and can be
directly responsible for neurological deficits. Decompression of the spinal
cord, even after an extended period of time, can result in functional
improvements. Hwang Mi-soon had a degree of compression in her lower back,
which was addressed during the initial surgery.
As noted by the authors, Hwang's recovery may have been a result of this
decompression and not some unidentified mechanism mediated by
umbilical-cord-blood stem cells. In the end, the authors chose to delay
further speculation until more data was available from future trial
participants.
Perkins and Smith both downplayed this possibility, while the authors
treated it as a redheaded stepchild they were not fond of (being a redhead,
I can say that).
With the mechanism of action unclear, one doctor who preferred to remain
anonymous told the Korean publication JoongAng Ilbo that he was unsure
whether a second stem-cell treatment would be beneficial. "It was difficult
to expect a good result from her, but we performed the procedure at Seoul
Cord Bank's request," he told the paper. "I am sorry that I did not turn it
down at the time." Histostem, the company behind Hwang's stem-cell therapy,
also runs the Seoul Cord Bank.
Sadly, Hwang's story is just one of many that have been shamelessly
exploited during the course of the adult-versus-embryonic stem-cell battle.
(Laura Dominguez, Susan Fajt and Christopher Reeve are three other paralyzed
individuals whose stories have been similarly exploited by one side or the
other throughout the tiresome debate.)
I hope you will forgive my hypocrisy, as I join those who exploit Hwang's
situation. But, in this case, I really don't think she would mind.
To the Family Research Council's credit, they immediately corrected their
Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Fact Sheet when I told them about the adverse
effects of Hwang Mi-soon's second round of treatment.
While I am sure Hwang appreciates their prompt response, I think she would
prefer if the Family Research Council and other groups who used her story to
their advantage joined with researchers to finally cure paralysis. Going a
step further, I bet she wouldn't care if the cure came from a non-embryonic
source, as long as it gets here.
I wish Hwang Mi-soon the best, and hope she finds a pain-management routine
that allows her to regain her life. To those who took advantage of her:
Paralysis still exists. Where are those "cures" of which you speak?
- - -
Steven Edwards is a redheaded, redbearded, partially ventilator-dependent
quadriplegic looking to trade in his wheels for the use of his legs. He
hails from South Carolina.
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