After immunosuppressive therapy, fifty-six human patients with Multiple Sclerosis received autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (h/t Wesley Smith). Tatiana Ionova, MD, PhD, Department of Haematology, Pirogov National Medical Surgical Center, Moscow, Russia reports that “All patients appeared to respond to treatment.” From the release:

Improvement was seen in 62.3%, and stabilisation occurred in 37.7% of patients. Progression after improvement occurred in 7.1% and progression after stabilisation in 11.8% of patients.

There were no deaths during the course of the study.

Out of 26 patients included in the quality-of-life analysis, 24 exhibited a response and preserved a good quality of life during the follow-up. No unexpected treatment-related adverse events were observed.

Dr. Ionova concludes that this treatment is a safe and effective therapy for MS.

Meanwhile a woman in the UK is fighting for the right of her and her husband to travel to Switzerland for an assisted suicide after she can, “no longer bear being alive.” Tragic.