Dr Nandini Gokulchandran, deputy director and head-medical services at Mumbai-based Centre for Stem Cell Therapy and Neurorehabilitation, was in the city Wednesday. Orissa POST caught up with the doctor to talk more about the use of stem cells in treating brain disorders like autism,
cerebral palsy and others. Excerpts from the interview:
Several hospitals and parents of newborns now are keen to use the cords of the newborns. What
medical potential it
offers?
The cord is of very important use when it comes to using it for stem cells. These are otherwise thrown into dustbins when a child is born. A lot of stem cells could be derived from the cords. Stem cells from these could be multiplied and stored in stem cell banks. However, their use till now is limited. It’s like a life insurance policy. It could be used in any blood disorder ranging from sickle cell anaemia, blood cancer to thalassemia among the siblings.
Can a public stem cell bank help in boosting the treatment?
Public cord bloods will ensure that it is not privately stored and will not be your property but it could be used by anybody. However in India, the prospects of having a public cord bank are not there or limited. The investment in this sector is yet to be seen. A parent willing to store a cord is now investing around `70,000-Rs 1 lakh and that too only for around 20 years as they do not have life beyond that. After 20 years, the child is at liberty to take decision if it should be stored further or not. After being adult, an adult can use his/her own stem cells from their body which do not require any special storage.
What diseases are mostly treated with this therapy?
A lot of advancements have taken place in stem cell therapy for treating several diseases. Adult stem cells are always present in adults which do not need storage. For many incurable diseases and degenerative disorders like arthritis, cardiac conditions, diabetes, brain disorders they can be used. Brain disorders which are often incurable are now targeted through stem cells. Even for liver and kidney disorders, work is going on to improve the success of transplants.
Do you think Odisha has adequate facility for stem cell therapy?
I don’t think it has adequate infra for stem cell therapy. Many patients we have seen coming to Mumbai and other cities for treatment. We have treated many patients from Odisha and improved the lives of patients, mainly kids suffering from brain disorders. Many in rural Odisha do not know that many brain disorders, which they think are incurable, could be cured with the therapy. We have decided to hold a free consultation in Bhubaneswar November 25 for patients who are keen to take the therapy at our hospital at NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute, Mumbai.