Are cord blood transplants better than bone marrow transplants?
Bone marrow transplants are also a kind of stem cell treatment, but cord blood transplants have fewer complications and are being used as an alternative. It’s easier to find a match from stem cells than bone marrow and, as cord blood can be frozen and stored, it is more readily available. It takes time to search through bone marrow donor registers, and even if a match is found, the donor has to undergo an operation. 6 Will stem cells really be the ‘cure-all’ of the future? Because of their ability to divide and differentiate, some scientists believe that stem cells have a crucial role in regenerative medicine, where they could potentially cure diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and heart disease and conditions such as diabetes. However, other scientists argue that there is not enough evidence to back this up. As Professer Braude says, It may be that in the future, more diseases will be treated with cord blood. At present, however, much more research is needed. 7 So why would I w
