Whilst there has been considerable progress in stem cell research, particularly for the treatment of blood and immune system disorders, scientists are still some way from being able to start clinical trials using stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease. Although therapeutic cloning in animals has been permitted, so far it has not been possible in humans and much more research is required before trials can begin.
The key challenges for scientists at present are:
- to understand the way cells grow and differentiate
- to identify methods that differentiate the stem cells into the desired mature cell types needed for treatment
- to establish the best ways of getting stems cells into the right part of the body.
It is not possible to carry out quality control tests on large numbers of stem cells and it is important to recognise that there may be side effects and long term safety issues as new cells introduced into the body may remain there for many years. Careful monitoring with long term follow up is therefore essential before stem cell treatment can be widely used.
