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Parliament to legalize stem cells transplantation

22 December 2014 17:06 (UTC+04:00)
Parliament to legalize stem cells transplantation

By Amina Nazarli

The Azerbaijani Parliament is planning to legalize transplantation of human stem cells. This issue was discussed at the Parliament on December 22.

MP Musa Guliyev proposed the related law draft, stressing that the suggestion was based on the citizens’ appeals.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the transplantation of multi-potent hematopoietic stem cells, usually derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood. It may be autologous (the patient's own stem cells are used) or allogeneic (the stem cells come from a donor). It is a medical procedure in the fields of hematology, most often performed for patients with certain cancers of the blood or bone marrow, such as multiple myeloma or leukemia. In these cases, the recipient's immune system is usually destroyed with radiation or chemotherapy before the transplantation.

Guliyev said that the issue has left the nations with many relative problems.

“Earlier, we made some amendments to pave the way for legal organ transplantation and multiple sclerosis. However, as the law does not permit us to conduct transplantation of stem sells, serious problems still remain unresolved,” he said.

Operations on transplantation of human stem cells are being conducted in some European countries, Ukraine, Russia as well as in Turkey and Iran.

“Those who want to bring stem cells to Azerbaijan from other countries, where it is allowed, including Turkey and Iran, naturally face problem at the customs. As a result, people turn to illegal ways. That is why we should amend our legislation, so that this operation would be officially allowed in Azerbaijan,” MP noted.

“We have been late in establishing a special center for this issue,” said Ahliman Amiraslanov, the Rector of Azerbaijan Medical University.

He noted that today all the courtiers pay special attention to the steam cell study. “We have opportunities and specialists for establishing a Stem Cells Center. The specialists have been graduated from foreign universities,” Amiraslanov said. “Creation of a stem cells center in Azerbaijan is an important task.”

He also added that an Azerbaijani professor led Turkey’s Stem Cells Center.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani doctors did not have the right to conduct such operations, American Medical Biotechnology Corporation Bioheart Inc engaged in the development and commercialization of cell therapy methods conducted first successful stem cells transportation in Azerbaijan on January 30, 2014.

The transplantation, derived from fatty tissue was conducted in the Baku Central Military Hospital.

“Stem cell therapy is literally changing the world of modern medicine. Bioheart is happy to provide the patients who are suffering from serious diseases, with such technologies,” said Kristin Comella, Chief Scientific Officer of Bioheart.

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