b'of damaged neurons to slow disease progressionMedical Center, Rocky Mountain MS Clinic) and ideally to improve function. MesenchymalandtheNeurologicStemCellTreatment stem cells are found primarily in the boneStudy, which is looking at intravenous or marrow, where they help support the productionintranasal administration of MSCs for many of blood cells and platelets. When mesenchymalneurological conditions including MS. stem cells mature, they can differentiate intoIs stem cell therapy right for me?a variety of tissue types, including nerves, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, heart muscle,If you are thinking about whether a stem liver, cartilage, trachea, skin, and the cornea. celltransplantcouldtreatyourMS,make Because of their potential regenerativesure to discuss your interest and questions properties, multiple small studies have evaluatedwith your neurologist or the clinician taking MSCT for the treatment of neurological conditionscare of your MS. Before considering starting including stroke, ALS, Parkinsons disease,any treatment, the risks and benets must be and MS and have found promising results. weighed against each other. Mesenchymal stem cells can be deliveredWhat about getting a stem cell either by vein or directly into the spinal uid bytransplant in a different country?a lumbar puncture (intrathecal). Some early studies with small numbers of patients haveMany patients come to the office and ask suggested the intrathecal route may be moreabout getting stem cell therapy outside of the effective in reducing relapses and improvingUnited States. Typically, we do not recommend function. It remains to be seen if MSCT will provethis and instead would recommend considering to be effective for either active or progressiveenrollment in a clinical trial, which have disease in larger trials. signicantly more oversight. In a clinical trial, Currently there are two small clinical trialsthe investigators think very carefully about of MSCT for MS in the United States: a phasewhich patients the treatment might be best 1 clinical trial evaluating the safety of IVfor and monitor them very closely. If you are administration of human embryonic steminterested in nding a clinical trial, you can cell MSCT (Shepherd Center, UMass Memorialsearch at clinicaltrials.gov.New Year, New Ways You Can Help Us Help OthersDid you know that you can donate your unwanted car, truck, boat or RV to benet MS Focus? Contact carsforcharity.net or call 888-755-5435. They arrange to pick up your donated vehicle from anywhere and handle all the details. Your vehicle is sold and the money is donated to MS Focus. You will receive a thank you and donation receipt letter within a month. Its a great way to make an easy tax-deductible donation. 11 msfocusmagazine.org'