First US patient injected with embryonic stem cells

The first patient ever the US has been injected with cells derived from embryonic stem cells.  From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

First stem cell treatment for human administered in Atlanta

Taking a landmark step, Atlanta doctors have injected millions of embryonic stem cells into a partially paralyzed patient, treating a human for the first time in the U.S. with the controversial research, officials said Monday.

The medical procedure took place Friday at an unknown local hospital and the person, who was not identified, later entered the Shepherd Center, which specializes in brain and spinal cord injuries, for rehabilitation.

While supporters hailed the treatment as a monumental medical advance, others derided it as a moral atrocity. There was some irony in Atlanta being selected as the first American site for embryonic stem cell treatment, considering there have been several legislative proposals previously calling for a research ban. Clearly there was a divide when the news was revealed.

By the headline you would think that no stem cell therapy had ever been attempted before.  But my readers know better.  Adult stem cells have been used for years to treat patients.  In fact adult stem cells have already been through clinical trials in humans for spinal cord damage.  Let me refresh your memory.  From Dr. Jean Peduzzi Nelson's, testimony to Congress on the successes of adult stem cells in 2010:

I would like to tell you about 5 patients who have been helped by adult stem cells. These patients were either part of a clinical trial, and their results are now published in a peer-reviewed journal, or sometimes a similar procedure was done in a clinical trial that is now published.

The first patient is Silvio who I met several years ago.... Silvio had a spinal cord injury at the base of his neck.  Silvio was left with no movement of his legs and minimal movement of his fingers. At 2 years after injury, he received his own adult stem cells and partial scar removal after intensive rehab failed to lead to an improvement. Today he can maintain standing position and wave without help. With a walker and short braces, he can walk over 30 feet without anyone helping him. He can now move his fingers, which he could not do before.

This patient that was injected with embryonic stem cells has recently received a spinal cord injury. They must be in a terrible state.  This initial trial is just to test safety of this treatment.  I truly hope that this treatment does not make it worse and that no tumors develop.