2022 Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Action Awards

[@neilmcmanus3727]

From a perspective of an AML leukemia survivor through an allogeneic peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplant, I offer the following. It is well understood that the pre-transplant ablative chemotherapy and the resultant graft versus host disease after transplantation, results in tissue damage. This tissue damage is noted in many systems in the body, the most prevalent is scleroderma associated with cGVHD. It is also noted that vascular systems, and organs such as the heart and liver sustain tissue damage, and perhaps permanent fibrosis and scaring. It seems that a potential curative, restorative tissue regeneration application might be available through the use of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem/stromal/signaling cells. I am enthusiastic that the focus is to accelerate potential treatments for conditions that currently have no truly effective cure or remain in an investigative search for effective cures. It brings to mind a known regenerative application of stem cells with the umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem/stromal/signaling cells that have been through many different clinical trials. The clinical trials are continuing to investigate the use of uMSCs. I would like to ask, why has there been very little progress in making umbilical cord MSCs as a treatment available in the USA ? Treatments using these MSCs are available outside the US, in countries such as Germany, Canada, Cayman Islands, Panama, Columbia, Costa Rica, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Pakistan and many clinics in Mexico. Lately I noticed that the number of clinics offering treatments with umbilical cord derived MSCs just over the border in Mexico have expanded in numbers. Many of the clinics outside the US have developed in-house procedural capability, and produce their own uMSCs in ISO 9001 certified labs. Why is this effective regenerative applied science not being fast-tracked to be available within the USA ?

[@abc900088]

Big pharma. When diseases are cured, they can't sell their drugs for profit.