Conquering deadly diseases has been a relentless pursuit of mankind since the beginning of time and much progress has indeed been made. Medical conditions that used to mean an almost certain death are now routinely treated successfully. Many conditions that cannot be cured yet can be managed and many years can be added to the lives of patients. Billions are invested in research programs, including in stem cell treatment centers where scientists believe that bone marrow transplants will be the future of medicine.

Bone marrow transplants have been performed for some years, almost exclusively on patients that suffer from blood related cancers. The chemo therapy that these patients undergo kills all blood cells, even the healthy ones. By transplanting bone marrow surgeons hope to encourage the growth of new and healthy cells to replace the ones that were destroyed. Unfortunately the success rate is rather low at present.

Bone marrow transplants are by no means a cure for any type of cancer, at least not yet. At present it is nothing more than an effort to prolong the lives of very ill patients. Scientists believe that this will change, however. They think that bone marrow transplants will eventually be effective in curing many different types of cancer. But progress is very slow and no results are foreseen for at least a few years.

It is not just a cure for cancer that interests researchers in bone marrow transplants. They believe that these transplants have particular promise in the reversing of damage done to brain cells. If they achieve positive results in this area, patients with brain damage or spine damage may be cured. The possibility of reversing the effects of debilitating diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer is also very exciting.

Heart disease remains one of the most deadly killers in the world. Researchers think that the day will come when bone marrow transplants will be effective in stimulating the growth of healthy cells inside the heart to take the place of those damaged by the disease. Research in this area is still in its infancy, however, and real results will not be achieved within the immediate future.

Despite the high hopes that researches have for the potential of bone marrow transplants, the entire issue remains extremely controversial. Critics say that these transplants are not only very dangerous, but that there is not a shred of scientific evidence that it holds any benefits whatsoever. The fact that bone marrow is routinely harvested from the umbilical cords of unborn babies is also a major issue of contention.

Critics also point out that formal research results into the field of bone marrow transplants and its potential uses are particularly noticeable because there are no published results. Researchers in that field are overly optimistic at best and deliberately misleading at worst, critics say. False expectations are created and both patients and funders are being misled about the benefits that can result from further expensive research.

While it is too early to say, major breakthroughs in the use of bone marrow transplants to treat and cure many major killer diseases will indeed change the face of medicine forever. Countless people will be saved from needless deaths. It is a matter of wait and see, however.