Canadian Doctors Successfully Reverse Severe MS Using

Stem Cells
40% of patients in the seven-year clinical trial experienced a reversal of
symptoms.

Credit: sciencelife.uchospitals.edu
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease that results in victims
slowly losing their ability to speak, walk, and see. For obvious reasons, scientists
have been working tirelessly for decades to find a solution to the health illness.
And now, it seems potential remedy has been discovered.
According to a new study, published in The Lancet, a combination treatment of
both chemotherapy and stem cell therapy may be the solution sought to remedy
MS. Over a period of seven years, researchers conducted a clinical trial and
witnessed a significant reversal of the effects of aggressive relapsing MS in 24
patients.
The Telegraph reports that the therapy, which is normally reserved for leukemia
patients, involves giving patients a medication that forces the stem cells inside

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their bone marrow to enter the bloodstream. From there, the cells can be
harvested, purified, and frozen. Next, the patients immune system is completely
eradicated with chemo. Then, the patient has their frozen stem cells
transplanted back into their bone marrow with the hope of giving them a fresh
immune system.
This breakthrough was made when doctors started looking at MS as an
autoimmune disease rather than a neurodegenerative one. It took a while for the
connection to be made, as with MS, the immune system attacks the protective
sheaths that cover nerve fibers through the central nervous system.
At the end of the trial, 40% of patients experienced a reversal of symptoms,

which included loss of vision and balance and muscle weakness. The most
significant outcome of the study, however, may have been the recovery of one
patient named Jennifer Molson. The patient, who was diagnosed with MS in
1996, quickly experienced her health deteriorate. In less than five years, she was
living in a hospital under 24-hour care and using a cane, walker, and a
wheelchair. But after receiving the innovative treatment in 2002, she has made a
nearly complete recovery. Today, she lives without any assisted care and has no
trouble walking.
One of the researchers, Dr. Mark Freedman, commented on Molsons progress:
Jennifer, she freaked me out one day when she came to the clinic
wearing high heels. This was a girl who could barely walk.

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Credit: Jennifer Molson

Though the disease is listed as incurable, doctors are now optimistic a cure
will soon be written into the textbooks. Of course, the innovative approach to
remedying MS isnt without risks. The treatment is incredibly tough on the body
particularly the liver. During the trials, one patient died of liver failure while
another required intensive care for liver complications.
Said Dr. Emma Gray, head of clinical trials at the MS Society:
This treatment does offer hope, but its also an aggressive procedure
that comes with substantial risks and requires specialist aftercare. If
anyone is considering HSCT wed recommend they speak to their
neurologist.

What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news?
Source: Atkins HL, Bowman M, Allan D, et al. Immunoablation and autologous
haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation for aggressive multiple sclerosis: a
multicentre single-group phase 2 trial. The Lancet . 2016
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