Thailand has launched an official study in the field of stem cells to understand its benefits in curing heart disease. The Department of Medical Sciences, Mahidol University and the Cardiac University of Thailand will conduct the study on 40 patients with heart ailments. The study will compare the benefits of stem cells versus normal medicine for heart patients. Positive results from the study may speed up research in stem cell technology in the country. The test will last for two months and conditions of the patients who undergo the test will be periodically monitored. Researchers will take at least one year to come to a conclusion on the effectiveness of stem cell treatment.
This new proactive behavior of Thailand may be a result of the new demand of biotechnology and stem cell research in Asia. Countries such as Singapore, India, China, etc. are all vying for a share of the large biotech demand in the world. Singapore in particular, is going all out to promote stem cell research in the country. The country has invested billions of dollars in this field and plans to outpace South Korea to become the number one international stem-cell research destination in the world. The progress of Singapore in biotechnology is such that wealthy mothers from Thailand are depositing their newborn baby’s blood in Cord blood banking services available in Singapore.
Stem cells promises to be the biggest boon for humans against the risk of deadly disease. It hopes to fill gaps that current medicines are incapable of. It is also a multi-billion-dollar industry that will usher in economic benefits for the country/place conducting the research due to its high demand across the world. As of now, stem cells are being used to repair and study tissue damage in animals. But the future is bright and they are being heralded to cure diseases ranging from heart disease, diabetes, nerve damage and a host of other diseases.
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