All multiple sclerosis sufferers have stem cells with the potential to heal them, but scientists are only just figuring out how to kick them into action.
For some patients, drilling a hole in the skull and inserting an electrode into the ‘sadness centre’ of the brain offers relief from debilitating and otherwise treatment-resistant depression.
Only around 10% of new drugs in development make it onto the market. A drug needs to go through animal trials, and then four phases of human trials to be deemed suitable for use in patients.
A randomised controlled trial is the best way to compare a new treatment with the standard treatment. And randomising trial participants is a core feature of the experiment.
Virtually every medical therapy in use today owes its existence to animal experiments. But we can’t assume what works in animals will in humans. And sometimes, the mismatch can be dangerous.
Systematic reviews are rarely applied to basic research. A new study shows how they could separate good data from bad, saving millions in research dollars and speeding life-saving treatments.
In many cases, the most appropriate treatment for a health condition isn’t a drug. It could be a recommendation for a dietary change, a specific exercise, or even a phone app.
Claims that stem cell treatments can repair spinal injuries right now are overblown. But it’s not for lack of trying, and the science is certainly progressing.
Better technology to diagnose, treat and manage the disease early enough is needed to improve the survival rates of childhood cancer in sub Saharan Africa.
Professor of Bioethics & Medicine, Sydney Health Ethics, Haematologist/BMT Physician, Royal North Shore Hospital and Director, Praxis Australia, University of Sydney