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Got this in an email e-zine today.
Not that I agree - but I'm just putting it out there for any who may be interested.
"Cochlear Implant or Stem Cell Therapy--Which?"
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man wrote, "I read your article 'Hair cell regeneration--
looking beyond the hype' which was very encouraging.
Currently, my hearing has been severe to profound since age
13. I'm 48 now, but I've worn a hearing aid since I was three.
I am now in the process of undergoing a cochlear implant. In
the meantime, I'm still researching other options to improve
my hearing. I've heard or read a lot of negative things
regarding cochlear implants such as equipment failure,
increased tinnitus, loss of residual hearing, expensive, etc.
My doctor is confident I will benefit from the cochlear implant
and that it should improve my hearing much better than
currently. This is very encouraging. However, something is
drawing me to hold off. I'm wondering if there is something
better out there. It seems that stem cell therapy sounds more
promising. I fear that I will regret having the cochlear implant
when I should have been more patient and waited for the stem
cell therapy.
I've read that other countries are performing clinical trials but
none here in the USA--but I'm not sure if these reports are just
hype or are real.
Would you care to give me your opinion on stem cell therapy.
Perhaps I'm wasting my time thinking about the stem cell
therapy?"
I have written a couple of articles regarding hair cell
regeneration. You mentioned my article “Hair Cell
Regeneration–Looking Beyond the Hype” (November, 2004)
Hair Cell Regeneration for Hard of Hearing People—Looking Beyond the Hype. In
addition I have written, “Hair Cell Regeneration–Overcoming
the Challenges.” (November, 2004)
Hair Cell Regeneration—Restoring Hearing Loss?.
As you have read, yes, research on hair cell regeneration by
using stem cells is progressing, but no, it is not there yet.
There have been a few recent reports floating around the
Internet of a college girl, Chloe Sohl, that had stem cell
therapy with supposedly spectacular results.
You can read one of these reports, "Stem cell therapy raises
hope for autoimmune hearing loss" at
Stem cell therapy raises hope for autoimmune hearing loss.
Another of these "reports" paints stem cell therapy as
wonderful, and that it is the stodgy FDA that prevents it from
happening in the USA right now. This report is entitled "Stem
cells for deafness begins human trials? Great news!" You can
read it at A deaf dude's life: Stem cells for deafness begins human trials? Great news!.
These articles make it seem like stem cell therapy is already
here and is working great. This is just not true. Yes, they are
experimenting on people in countries where they don't have
strict medical standards, but the results are not all what they
are glowingly painted to be. There are still SERIOUS side
effects that need to be overcome. Before you get sucked in
by all the hype, read the article "Dose of Reality: Beware of
Clinics Touting Stem Cell Panaceas" at
Dose of Reality: Beware of Clinics Touting Stem Cell Panaceas | Magazine.
So far, I've only heard of this one "success" story using stem
cells to improve hearing--and the funny thing is that there is no
corroborating evidence from any other stem cell researchers
supporting this. Thus, I have to think there are numerous
issues that are not being told. If it was a true medical
breakthrough, I'd have expected lots of attention about this
case by the media and other stem cell researchers--but that is
singularly lacking. Thus you need to be very cautious at this
point.
Personally, I think you'd be wise to not even consider stem
cell therapy until it is approved by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) here in the USA. When that happens,
you can be more confident that it will be a good option for you.
As I have pointed out, using stem cell therapy safely to
restore hearing is still likely 20 years (more or less) away. It is
NOT imminent at this point.
For a more realistic view of where stem cell research is at,
read my recent article, "Hair Cell Research--Some
Unexpected Results" (December, 2009)
Hearing Loss Help Hair Cell Research?Some Unexpected Results.
Furthermore, from everything I've read so far, stem cell
therapy isn't the cure for hearing loss that it is made out to be.
Yes, hearing gets somewhat better--but nowhere near back to
normal. So far they are talking about a 10 to 20 dB
improvement (which is definitely a step in the right direction),
but you'd still be very hard of hearing. Hopefully, they will find
ways to improve on that in the future.
Thus, at present, for example, if you have a profound hearing
loss at say 100 dB--you could expect your hearing to improve
to maybe 80 dB with stem cell therapy, which would bump you
up to the severe hearing loss class. That's better, but not
good.
In contrast, with today's cochlear implant (CI) technology, you
could expect your hearing to improve all the way up to 20 to
30 dB. That's in the normal range, and that's really good!
Thus the CI is still the only real option you have today. True,
you will find a few people have problems with their CIs, but the
vast majority say that in spite of any problems, if they had it to
do over again, they would do it again in a heartbeat. That's
how satisfied they are with their cochlear implants. Something
like 98% or more report "success" with their CIs--which is a
pretty good success rate.
Based on my knowledge of the results of hundreds and
hundreds of people I know that have received CIs, I agree
with your doctor. You do have a good chance of getting
more/better hearing than you have now. It is probably well
worth the risk.
Although stem cell therapy sounds promising, this technology
is not ready for the big time. There are still far too many
unknowns, whereas the CI technology is proven to work.
Since you are worried that stem cell therapy may help you in
the future, here's one solution for you to consider. Why not
have a CI in your worse ear NOW, and wear your hearing aid
in your better ear. THEN, if and when stem cell therapy has
been proven, and approved by the FDA, you could have it
done in your better ear and still wear the CI in your worse ear.
That way you could get the best of both worlds--be able to
hear better now, and possibly hear much better later.
Not that I agree - but I'm just putting it out there for any who may be interested.
"Cochlear Implant or Stem Cell Therapy--Which?"
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man wrote, "I read your article 'Hair cell regeneration--
looking beyond the hype' which was very encouraging.
Currently, my hearing has been severe to profound since age
13. I'm 48 now, but I've worn a hearing aid since I was three.
I am now in the process of undergoing a cochlear implant. In
the meantime, I'm still researching other options to improve
my hearing. I've heard or read a lot of negative things
regarding cochlear implants such as equipment failure,
increased tinnitus, loss of residual hearing, expensive, etc.
My doctor is confident I will benefit from the cochlear implant
and that it should improve my hearing much better than
currently. This is very encouraging. However, something is
drawing me to hold off. I'm wondering if there is something
better out there. It seems that stem cell therapy sounds more
promising. I fear that I will regret having the cochlear implant
when I should have been more patient and waited for the stem
cell therapy.
I've read that other countries are performing clinical trials but
none here in the USA--but I'm not sure if these reports are just
hype or are real.
Would you care to give me your opinion on stem cell therapy.
Perhaps I'm wasting my time thinking about the stem cell
therapy?"
I have written a couple of articles regarding hair cell
regeneration. You mentioned my article “Hair Cell
Regeneration–Looking Beyond the Hype” (November, 2004)
Hair Cell Regeneration for Hard of Hearing People—Looking Beyond the Hype. In
addition I have written, “Hair Cell Regeneration–Overcoming
the Challenges.” (November, 2004)
Hair Cell Regeneration—Restoring Hearing Loss?.
As you have read, yes, research on hair cell regeneration by
using stem cells is progressing, but no, it is not there yet.
There have been a few recent reports floating around the
Internet of a college girl, Chloe Sohl, that had stem cell
therapy with supposedly spectacular results.
You can read one of these reports, "Stem cell therapy raises
hope for autoimmune hearing loss" at
Stem cell therapy raises hope for autoimmune hearing loss.
Another of these "reports" paints stem cell therapy as
wonderful, and that it is the stodgy FDA that prevents it from
happening in the USA right now. This report is entitled "Stem
cells for deafness begins human trials? Great news!" You can
read it at A deaf dude's life: Stem cells for deafness begins human trials? Great news!.
These articles make it seem like stem cell therapy is already
here and is working great. This is just not true. Yes, they are
experimenting on people in countries where they don't have
strict medical standards, but the results are not all what they
are glowingly painted to be. There are still SERIOUS side
effects that need to be overcome. Before you get sucked in
by all the hype, read the article "Dose of Reality: Beware of
Clinics Touting Stem Cell Panaceas" at
Dose of Reality: Beware of Clinics Touting Stem Cell Panaceas | Magazine.
So far, I've only heard of this one "success" story using stem
cells to improve hearing--and the funny thing is that there is no
corroborating evidence from any other stem cell researchers
supporting this. Thus, I have to think there are numerous
issues that are not being told. If it was a true medical
breakthrough, I'd have expected lots of attention about this
case by the media and other stem cell researchers--but that is
singularly lacking. Thus you need to be very cautious at this
point.
Personally, I think you'd be wise to not even consider stem
cell therapy until it is approved by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) here in the USA. When that happens,
you can be more confident that it will be a good option for you.
As I have pointed out, using stem cell therapy safely to
restore hearing is still likely 20 years (more or less) away. It is
NOT imminent at this point.
For a more realistic view of where stem cell research is at,
read my recent article, "Hair Cell Research--Some
Unexpected Results" (December, 2009)
Hearing Loss Help Hair Cell Research?Some Unexpected Results.
Furthermore, from everything I've read so far, stem cell
therapy isn't the cure for hearing loss that it is made out to be.
Yes, hearing gets somewhat better--but nowhere near back to
normal. So far they are talking about a 10 to 20 dB
improvement (which is definitely a step in the right direction),
but you'd still be very hard of hearing. Hopefully, they will find
ways to improve on that in the future.
Thus, at present, for example, if you have a profound hearing
loss at say 100 dB--you could expect your hearing to improve
to maybe 80 dB with stem cell therapy, which would bump you
up to the severe hearing loss class. That's better, but not
good.
In contrast, with today's cochlear implant (CI) technology, you
could expect your hearing to improve all the way up to 20 to
30 dB. That's in the normal range, and that's really good!
Thus the CI is still the only real option you have today. True,
you will find a few people have problems with their CIs, but the
vast majority say that in spite of any problems, if they had it to
do over again, they would do it again in a heartbeat. That's
how satisfied they are with their cochlear implants. Something
like 98% or more report "success" with their CIs--which is a
pretty good success rate.
Based on my knowledge of the results of hundreds and
hundreds of people I know that have received CIs, I agree
with your doctor. You do have a good chance of getting
more/better hearing than you have now. It is probably well
worth the risk.
Although stem cell therapy sounds promising, this technology
is not ready for the big time. There are still far too many
unknowns, whereas the CI technology is proven to work.
Since you are worried that stem cell therapy may help you in
the future, here's one solution for you to consider. Why not
have a CI in your worse ear NOW, and wear your hearing aid
in your better ear. THEN, if and when stem cell therapy has
been proven, and approved by the FDA, you could have it
done in your better ear and still wear the CI in your worse ear.
That way you could get the best of both worlds--be able to
hear better now, and possibly hear much better later.
