Seeking Advanced Stem Cell Treatment, Peyton Manning Flies to Europe

Hope it all works out for you Peyton - your a force to be reconnected with and your team (SERIOUSLY) needs you; but I'm sure glad I didn't pick you up in this years fantasy draft.

"And the reason for American reluctance regarding stem cell procedures are many and varied."

Singular: Strigent pro life supporters (i.e. stem cell research is murder sentiment).

"...so why is a marquee NFL quarterback flying overseas for his therapy."

Other than the shitty comparison of health care in the U.S. to Europe, the academics who have been doing this sorta thing a little longer than America, might have a better bead on things regarding this subject.

Until we have proof that stem-cell therapies in other countries are actually effective beyond the occasional anecdote, maybe it's premature to ask if stem cell therapies in America are lagging. There's certainly a lot of research going on in the U.S. If indeed we're slow to turn research into therapies, maybe it would be good to ask questions about the regulatory environment. The FDA is notoriously more stringent than regulatory agencies in other countries; perhaps for good reason in some cases, and maybe not in others.

From the many examples that I've seen and heard of so far, stem cell therapy seems to truly be the therapy of the future. There is so much potential for these types of therapies. However, the United States is really lagging in this field. There may be alot of research for this field, but there needs to be much more clinical trials going on. There are so many things that stem cell therapy can help, it is unreal. My brother had a stroke at birth which caused him to hardly be able to use his left side and it affected him mentally too as there was a buildup of hydrocephalus in his brain. I'm his caretaker and also his best friend. He is also my best friend. I'm tired of not being able to relate to him. He communicates with people at a much lower level of intellingence, yet he is a lot smarter than a retarded person. I just hope that someday soon, some therapy will cure all the effects of his stroke, causing him to not have any mental disabilities and him to be able to fully use his left side, where I will be able to truly talk to him as an equal! Stem cell therapy seems to be that miracle treatment that I'm hoping for! There should be much more trials going on in this field!!!

@laurenra7 you have a good point, but these rich and influential people who fly to Europe never get in front of the camera in the USA to advocate more research here. why is that? if its politics they have no problem using their popular influence to get people to vote for who they want to vote for, but when it comes to actual important things that could make a difference (OR NOT) they just stay the shadowed hypocrite.

@nebulation you should have read the comment RIGHT above yours before you posted.

"Peyton...flew to Europe...experimental stem cell treatment"

So if it is experimental in Europe then how do us poor dumb Americans suffer? Let them test this stuff out and maybe we can save some money this time. We'll see if Peyton got his money's worth.

I'd love this sort of stuff to work but many of the claims have just not panned out yet. There is no miracle cure, if Europe and Japan were having such great luck with this stuff, then they wouldn't be called experimental.

You have to remember how drug company tests are done in every country. They PICK only those who are likely to make the tests positive in their favor. You'd be surprised how many regular people just don't get any benefit from these new drugs and "miracle cures."

@rob

"It could make a difference (OR NOT)"... If you don't know either way, then why are you complaining?

I wish Peyton well and any of his family!

The fantasy football player in me is angry that Peyton is down. The football Fan in me LOVES seeing the colts do TERRIBLE!!!!

The Man/football guy in my hates to see a amazing QB career possible end like this.

Now Being a Bengals fan I wish he could some how magically come back for next week and stomp the steelers and then get injured again for the rest of the season so they will suck lol....he can then come back next year and play as he used too all he wants

@Freh @rob

"It could make a difference (OR NOT)"... If you don't know either way, then why are you complaining?

well that is what research is for. my point is we don't know if stem cell will make a difference. so it might or it might not. I was leaving it the option open so that I would not sound like I was taking sides.
I was not complaining at all.
I just think if famous people are going to use their their fame to influence political opinion, then how do they get off getting banned treatments. why dont they step up and speak out to get this research in the USA. I am not calling manning along out on this, but this is common with many famous people. They have no problem telling you to vote for bush or obabma, but then when they want something they have to go to the EU they keep their mouth shut about getting those same services here in the US?

hope that clears up my previous comment. thanks for your question.

"As fantasy teams across the nation crumbled in Week 1, football’s greatest current quarterback (yeah, that’s right) sat down for the first time in his NFL career"

I think Tom Brady might have something to say about that.

Even though I'm not a fan of the colts, I do hope that Peyton is getting well, without him in the NFL is like having no super bowl, ITS UNHEARD OF, get well man.

~BARCLAY~

stem cell research should be fast tracked, it is a discrace that the US is not leading the research as we should be, cheers

I also wish Peyton Manning the best in his healing process and can return to the NFL. However, I agree with jaypers that Tom Brady, who is THE best quarterback in the NFL, might have something to say about that. Likewise Aaron Rogers at this time. Peyton's Dad, Archie, will always be one of my favorite players, but for the past few years there is no NFL quarterback better than Brady.

Don't be fooled for one second that the u.s. dosent have this tech locked down. There way to many company's that would lose ther ass if "we" (the u.s.) did this (in public) here. AIDS reserch alone makes billions a year, pill company's make billions a year from cancer med's. It's the united states of greed. (IMO) stem cells are the the way to treat, cure and help millions here and "we" don't do it.......and that piss's me off. I'm not tring to troll but somone had to say it. Shame on you america !

@pheonix1012

You blame "stringent pro life supporters" for the apparent lag in American stem cell research. As the article makes clear, however, Manning's treatment involved adult stem cells, which are not ethically problematic and which pro life supporters ("stringent" and otherwise) endorse.

There was a lot of misinformation in Glazer's report. He said the only type of stem cell therapy in this country was embryonic stem cell treatment. My brother in law is currently involved in adult bone stem cell work at the Cleveland Clinic where the patients own stem cells are harvested to grow new bone. This sounds very similar to what Manning was reported to get in Europe. The fat cell to other cell therapy may not be available here but many other types are.

Furthermore there is much confusion regarding us not being fully behind embryonic stem cells. First of all, it is not prohibited here. The government just decided not to fund it.Yes, the ethics of it being a living embryo play into the decision but it is not the only reason to treat it with caution. The scientists desperately want the government money because private venture capital has avoided it. The private financiers have avoided it because in early testing the cells were more apt to become cancerous.

The government does not have the best record when it comes to picking winning technology.

@inka_rob

I did read the post right above mine which is exactly the reason that I made my post. There may be a lot of research involving stem cells in the U.S., but there are no actual trial therapies going on. I think there's been enough research gathered on stem cells to go ahead and get the green light on conducting some trials. Through the trials is where we run into mistakes if there are any, but we haven't been doing any trials, so no progress is being made whatsoever. I don't know why any trials have not been made, but for whatever the reason, it can't possibly be that good of one, when there are so many people who could use these treatments RIGHT NOW! It's like a doctor not stopping someone's internal bleeding, when they easily could, but they don't because they don't want to "risk" killing the patient. The U.S. is being very reluctant to start figuring things out over something that could help millions of people throughout the world. That is why inka_rob I made that post!!!

@jlkorey

Can you read? I know that is a lot of reading to do, so I’ll make it into simple talking points for you.

 he (Peyton Manning)took a **private plane** to an **unknown hospital** in an **unnamed country**

 **"no comment"** during a Monday press conference. Caldwell said the team would not discuss Manning's medical issues. That means details are scarce…but ** Fox's report** said this was not a procedure involving embryonic stem cells.

 It's*** likely*** Manning underwent

 Glazer said he was informed that doctors cultured some of Manning's own fat cells and injected them into his neck
 In any event, the fat-stem-cell (induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells) procedure was ** insufficient**, leading to Manning’s third neck surgery Sept. 8.

 Researchers at Stanford started working with fat-derived iPS cells in 2009 —** so why is a marquee NFL quarterback flying overseas for this therapy? **

BECAUSE: Peyton Manning is a conservative republican, and republicans are pro life. If IPS were being used in his treatment, Peyton would have undergone the treatment in the USA. Manning would then remain within republican party line. Peyton is going for embryonic stem cell (ES) treatment, which is why he took a private jet to an undisclosed hospital somewhere in Europe. Republicans…the party of “Do what I say, not as I do.” BTW, Democrats are just as bad as the republicans. It’s just one big puppet show. Fox is going to throw out the denial and say its IPS, they are a pro repub outlet.
I do hope Peyton recovers, he is a great QB.

@findingcenter
I appreciated your wit until I came to your illogical conclusion: Republicans are hypocrites > Manning is a Republican > therefore Manning is a hypocrite. Really?
Show me some evidence that support your conclusion of Manning's duplicity other than universal statements please.

Back to topic; I am currently dealing with similar issues as Manning. However, since I don't have the resources of a top NFL player, I'm forced to battle with my insurance company over coverage regarding what they call "experimental and investigational" procedures. Instead of pursuing cutting edge genetically manipulated cell therapy, I'm pursuing replacement of my bad vertebral discs with artificial (mechanical) discs.

I've also considered going out of country to have the procedure done because of the hassle of dealing with insurance policies in order to get it done here. Believe me if I was out of pocket for the entire procedure it would cost less to travel and I would have had it done already.

The problem is that the insurance companies are allowed to exclude or include procedures based on cost and then hide their policy decisions behind "not FDA approved". In my case there are many objective studies that show this procedure is safe and effective.

@ Nebulation

I totally agree with you. My nephew for a while was suspected of having a form of muscular dystrophy as he was very late in developing when he was young. Through my research i found a number of cases where parents of kids with MD or other brain and motor neuron disorders had actually used stem cells they kept from the mothers umbilical cord blood/tissue at birth and injected them back in to the child (as they would be immediatley accepted by the body, being the childs own base cells). The effects were astounding. In ALL cases i read the childs development came ahead leaps and bounds and even regained gross and fine motor control which they have previously lossed or failed to develop fully.

All these people who oppose stem cell research or legalization of use have probably never experienced first hand the need for such a treatment. I'd love to see how they react if their loved one had a stroke or horrible injury/disease where stem cells could be of great use.