Nine Japanese patients had transplants using fetal cells in China

Main Category: Transplants / Organ Donations
Article Date: 22 Jul 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Nine Japanese patients who suffer from spinal cord injuries travelled to China to undergo transplants of cells from aborted fetuses, even though the effectiveness and safety of the treatment has not been verified, according to sources close to the matter and an investigation by the Japan Spinal Cord Foundation released Wednesday.

The sources also said six more Japanese had made appointments with a Chinese hospital to undergo the same treatment.

Such transplants currently are not available in Japan. The patients are believed to have flown to China in a desperate attempt to receive the treatment, but the effectiveness and safety of the treatment has yet to be verified. Concern is mounting about the growing number of Japanese travelling to China for the treatment.

According to the foundation and the sources, the transplants were conducted by a doctor in the Capital Medical College Hospital in Beijing. The doctor removes a mucosal cell from an aborted fetuses' nose. After nurturing it, the doctor implants it near the patient's injury by injection. CONTINUES................The Daily Yomiuri

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