By Dr.Supachai Ekwattanakit
B.SC., Ph.D., M.D.,
Thai Board of Adult Hematology
Cellular therapy has been used in medicine for over 200 years, starting with blood transfusions. In Thailand, this practice began in 1927. The first bone marrow transplant using hematopoietic stem cells occurred globally in 1939 and in Thailand in 1986.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) began to be extensively studied after the year 2000. This is when researchers worldwide started to recognize their potential and conducted numerous studies.
As shown in the figure, a search for research studies on MSCs published in human subjects reveals over 1,000 studies in the past two to three decades.
In Thailand, the appropriate and correct use of MSCs still faces limitations and misconceptions.
Stem cells cannot cure all diseases. Current medical treatments rely on evidence-based medicine, meaning that studies must first be conducted in test tubes or on animals (preclinical studies). If the results are promising and no severe side effects are found, further studies in humans are conducted before clinical application.
For example, in the case of osteoarthritis, numerous studies have been conducted on various animal models, including pigs, horses, rabbits, and cows. After promising results with no adverse effects, these studies progressed to human trials and eventually led to current treatment options.
Currently, information about MSCs is limited due to the relatively recent focus on this topic in the past 20 years. Most studies have been conducted on diseases with limited effective treatments or chronic conditions without a cure.
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