BBC News Online, Daily Mail, Times, and many other newspapers are reporting that bone marrow stem cells have been shown to cure multiple sclerosis sufferers in a trial which was led by Dr Richard Burt of Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago. The study is reported today in the Lancet Neurology.

Among the 21 men and women in the trial, aged between 20 and 53, 17 had improved on a scale of disability after three years. A futher trial involving 100 people is expected to get underway soon.

Many people will see this as great news for stem cells in general – and not recognise that this is success story for adult stem cells, not embryonic stem cells. The truth is this – there is a way forward that does not involve embryonic stem cells – if bone marrow stem cells are effective in neurology for MS, then why not for stroke?

The Metro in particular ends its very good report with a brief paragraph stating that “Earlier this month, ReNeuron has got the go-ahead to do the world’s first trial using stem cells to repair brain damage in stroke victims” – completely failing to mention that the ReNeuron trial is using cells from an aborted baby and is therefore highly controversial, compared to the universally accepted and supported practice of using bone marrow stem cells.

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