Stem cells in veterinary medicine: doctors – for, authorities – against

Veterinarians actively treat animals with stem cells

ABC Magazine based on Nature: Stem cells boom in vet clinicsOver the past 10 years, the frequency of stem cell use in veterinary clinics has increased significantly in the United States, despite the fact that this therapy has not received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Concerned about this fact, the FDA is going to issue new guidelines this year that will limit the use of stem cells by veterinarians. This decision has many supporters and many opponents.

So far, in the absence of clear regulatory rules, the use of stem cells in US veterinary clinics is flourishing. The California Vet-Stem Clinic, specializing in stem cell therapy, has already used them in the treatment of 5,000 horses, 4.3 thousand dogs and 120 cats since 2004. In the MediVet clinic from Kentucky, stem cell injections have been made to more than 10 thousand horses since 2010. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are used in therapy, which can turn into almost any cell, including bone and cartilage cells. MSCs are obtained from bone marrow and animal fat, cultured and injected in high concentrations.

According to veterinarians, the effect of stem cell treatment is simply amazing. Damaged tendons on the legs of horses heal almost before our eyes, allowing the animals to return to the races. Most often, horses, dogs and cats are treated with stem cells, but recently they have been used to treat spinal fractures of the Bengal tiger and arthritis in pigs. Veterinarian researchers have also found stem cells in the fat of bottlenose dolphins that can help in the treatment of liver diseases and diabetes in these animals.

The FDA's position regarding the use of MSCs in humans is known – stem cells are a drug and, therefore, must prove their safety and effectiveness before receiving approval. However, with regard to veterinary medicine, the FDA has separate regulatory documents in which the relationship to the MSC is not clearly spelled out. The use of stem cells in veterinary medicine is not allowed, but it is not prohibited.

To correct this shortcoming, the FDA plans to submit a draft guideline on the use of stem cells in veterinary practice by the end of this year. The guidelines will indicate the need for clinical trials of MSCs to confirm that they do not have serious side effects, for example, the formation of tumors. The FDA emphasizes that most of the existing stem cell studies on animals were conducted incorrectly. However, veterinarians note that it is difficult to conduct a study with pets correctly – which owner will agree to have his pet treated with a placebo, and not with an active substance? Veterinarians also fear that the new FDA guidance will increase the cost of stem cells and severely restrict their use.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru12.04.2013