Stem Cell Treatments Safe

Interviewer: When we talk about stem cell treatment, we're used to the controversy of the embryonic stem cells. Can your own body's stem cells do the same things at what we were trying to study with the embryonic stem cells?

Dr. Joel Baumgartner: Sure. Yeah, they can do as much and sometimes in a better and a safer way. When we're injecting somebody else's into your body there's a risk of infection. There's also the risk of rejection if the cells don't match up. When you're using your body's own stem cells you're basically making a biologic transfer. You're taking cells from one part of the body and concentrating on putting into another part of the body. So, from the research done since 1996, there's been no adverse side effects. There's been no proliferation or cancer growth with these type of stem cells so it's very safe.