The Other Cell Transplant Controversy

It seems like there's a new story about stem cell science every other day. But long before those words became so prevalent, there was a similar flurry of stories about an equally controversial procedure called fetal tissue transplants. Because Parkinson's is often cited in stories about both topics, we decided it made sense to go back and re-visit that earlier controversy as part of our documentary.

I first head about fetal cell transplants in the late 1980s. My Dad had advanced Parkinson's by that time, and while I knew it was too late to benefit him, I worried about whether the bitter debate over the procedure might hold back overall progress in treating the disease. But I also happen to have grown up in a Catholic family, so I understood the moral objections to a procedure that utilizes tissue from elective abortions. 

So, what did we find out about the early fetal cell transplants in the 1980s and 1990s? There appear to have been some remarkable success stories; but some transplant recipients also suffered serious side effects. 

To get a sense of the promise of cell transplants, Harvard neuroscientist Ole Isacson pointed us to a series of procedures done in Halifax, Nova Scotia. To see some of what we found out, check out One Step Forward. In a subsequent posting, we'll look into the other side of the story -- the problems that have taken place with some fetal cell transplants.