Chioma Obinna
23 September 2008
interview
Following a call to the Federal Government to urgently setup a body that would create the necessary framework to enable Nigerians begin to enjoy the benefits of Stem Cell Technology after a successful International Seminar organised by Stem Cell Transplantation Project for Africa (SCTPA) in October 2007 in Abuja.
The Federal government recognised the efficacy and the need for Stem Cell Technology Development and established a National Committee on the Research and Development of Stem Cell Technology in Nigeria, comprising three serving Federal Ministers, six medical directors of University Teaching Hospitals.
In line with this, current chairman of the technical committee, Dr. Perry Iloegbunam who is Chairman/CEO of Stem Cell Transplantation Project for Africa last week launched MFIII Anti-Aging Softgel Capsules into the Nigeria market.
Over the past seven years, Illoegbunam has been involved in the development of Stem Cell Technology in association with one of the best research institutes on Stem Cell Technology in the world - the Bio-Cellular Research Organization of the United States of America (BCRO). Shortly after the launch, he spoke to Chioma Obinna on the benefits of the therapy to man particularly to diseases assumed to be incurable.
It is the 21st century medicine and the 21st century medicine all about regeneration. This is the first time we are moving into that aspect of medicine. What it does is to stimulate regeneration of weak cells. The particular one we are practising in Nigeria now is geno- transplantation. By Geno- transplantation, we mean harvesting cells from animals and implanting the cells into human being to repair damaged organs generally.
Then, change dead cells in the human body. These are the two basic principles and how it works. One is regeneration, which accounts for about 70 percent and then 30 percent for replacement. There are so many likes of stem cell, we have embryonic stem cell, we have umbilical cord stem cell.
But we have looked at both sides, our technical partners have been into this for about 30 years, researching for both animal and human stem cell, at the end of the day, they settled for animal stem cell. For so many reasons, one is ethical issues. Since the animal cells can achieve the same thing with that of human , then there is no point going to harm the human life to treat another human being. So we settled for animal transplant.
What are some of the diseases the therapy can cure?
All the very bad cases like kidney problems are suitable for stem cell therapy. The benefit is that when you have kidney problem they will look for a donor and transfer to the other person. The risk in transferring te kidney can even kill the person. But with stem cell treatment, if we discover that your kidney is bad below certain level we advise that you go for an outright stem cell transplant.
For a common man, the process looks like you have taken an injection. Lets assume it is about three organs that are bad now, with stem cell treatment, we are going to implant three different transplants in one particular place and each one will begin to home to its organ as if the organ is attracting it, they will get there and repair these organ without you feeling anything other than you have taken injection.
This is something you can walk into a hospital and you take the injection. This is how it works. Nobody is going to cut your body in trying to treat the kidney. If it hasn't gotten to that level, we recommend you take the oral type. To avoid your organ getting down, that is when you are still well, the MF111 is the answer. It is not all cases that stem cell transplantation can be recommended.
How will stem cell help a HIV+ person?
From experience, if we have a HIV+ person expected to die in the next 24 hours and we plant the stem cell, if you see the person in the next 48 hours you will be surprised how the person will recover. Stem cell is there for terrible ailments.
Can stem cell cure HIV and AIDS?
The answer is yes or no because life style matters a lot. Stem cell transplant remain very emphatic. There are cases we treat the immune system and it will drop again, and when it begins to drop what we do is to plant more stem cells and when it drops in five years again, we replant again. This is why we don't want to claim cure for HIV and AIDS.
Any programme for Nigerian children with Down Syndrome?
What we are planning to do is to get the Federal government involved and see how they can help because is not something we can do alone. Now that the Federal government has set up this committee we will use the opportunity to see what we can do.
We are setting up a treatment center in Lagos State for Down Syndrome children. Lagos state government has also agree to play a role to see that the product get to the down trodden.
The center, apart from availing medical practitioner the opportunity to update and complement their skills and knowledge with respect to the contemporary advances in medical biotechnology, it will positively impact on the economy.
It will make Nigeria a hub for medical ecotourists, obviate the need for expensive overseas medical travels, rebound in greatly enhanced foreign exchange earnings, enhance medical laboratory technology practice through the process of dynamic engagements and interactions with world acclaimed experts in the twin fields of Xeno- and Allo- Stem Cell Transplantation.
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