Stem cells : an insider's guide
(Book - Regular Print)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

This book takes readers inside the world of stem cells guided by an international stem cell expert. Stem cells are catalyzing a revolution in medicine. The book also tackles the exciting and hotly debated area of stem cell treatments that are capturing the public's imagination. In the future they may also transform how we age and reproduce. However, there are serious risks and ethical challenges, too. The author's goal with this insider's guide is to give readers the information needed to distinguish between the ubiquitous hype and legitimate hope found throughout the stem cell world. The book answers the most common questions that people have about stem cells. Can stem cells help my family with a serious medical problem such as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, or autism? Are such treatments safe? Can stem cells make me look younger or even literally stay physically young? These questions and many more are answered here. A number of ethical issues related to stem cells that spark debates are discussed, including risky treatments, cloning and embryonic stem cells. The author suggests reforms to the FDA, providing a new theory of aging based on stem cells, and including a Stem Cell Patient Bill of Rights. More generally, the book is a guide to where the stem cell field will be in the near future as well as a thoughtful perspective on how stem cell therapies will ultimately change your life and our world. -- From back cover.