You can get stem cells injected if you're willing to pay for snake oil.

There are no stem cell treatments for COPD that have been proven to work. The companies that offer them have lots of testimonials from people who would have you believe that they came to the center weighed down by their O2, on inhaler after inhaler, unable to do anything but cough and gasp, and after treatment, they threw their O2 away, tossed their meds and went skipping down the sidewalk. Ask the people fronting these organizations for any proof that their treatment works, such as, increase in FEV1, reduction in use of O2, reduced medications, improvement in 6 minute walk, or even improvement in quality of life as measured by any of the clinically approved measures (St. George, CAT, etc.) and they get very quiet. My friend, Dr. Robert Sandhaus, a world renowned pulmonologist at National Jewish in Denver, calls it "snake oil". There's a reason neither Medicare nor any insurance company will pay for the treatment. And there's a reason they're charging $7000 to $15,000 for treatment: they want your money.

That said, most of the clinicians and researchers in COPD I know believe that the cure will probably have something to do with stem cells and there have been some remarkable things achieved with stem cells. Unfortunately, none of that success has occurred in the lungs. There are some legitimate clinical trials being held on stem cell research in COPD, but the legitimate ones don't ask you to pay them for the privilege of being a guinea pig. So check the offers out very carefully. If you are lucky enough to be somewhere you can participate in a legitimate study, do so by all means. They will pay you for your help.

There are already 15 million people in the US who have been diagnosed and probably another 15 million who haven't been. COPD is practically endemic in China and India, both of which have way more people than we do. There are all the third world countries where women and children get COPD from cooking with fossil fuels indoors, so probably at least 100 million diagnosed and maybe three times that undiagnosed. Anything that really works will light up the news airways like Christmas on steroids. It will be shouted from the housetops and every news channel will have stories about it. You’ll know that something really special has happened. Guaranteed.

I would further refer you to this site: https://www.copdfoundation.org/Take-Action/COPD... on-Position-on-Stem-Cell-Therapy.aspx This statement was written and endorsed by all the pulmonologists on the COPD Foundation's Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee, a committee on which I have the privilege to sit. These men and women are some of the most respected physicians in the field. I also suggest this by the American Thoracic Society: http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.195...

Stems cells may indeed hold the key to a cure, but we're not there yet!

There are very basic stem cell studies going on in the lung area, but these are so basic that they don't involve people yet. There are a few stem cell studies that are legitimate and being studied both in Europe and the US. There's been some work in China, but at this point that's not been verified as legitimate or recognized by any researchers in the US. At this point the work is very basic and at the beginning stages.

There is also work in the area of regeneration medicine; some of the best is done at Wake Forest where they have actually grown some small, very simple organs from a person's own stem cells for transplantation (I think they've had success with bladders, which are apparently very simple organs). So there is work going on, it's just in the very beginning stages for lungs. However, there's always the chance that someone will have that "Eureka" moment and find something that works. I don't think it'll happen in my lifetime, unless someone found it yesterday and we just haven't heard about it yet, but I'm sure it WILL happen.

Thank you Jean,i always read your post.you are very helpful.

@A MyCOPDTeam Member if you click on view previous answers you will see the other responses.

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I am also curious about stem cell. There are six answers to the original question when I can only see the first one would love to hear more. Thank you