In an effort to learn more about stem cells, the Foundation for Alternative and Integrative Medicine's (FAIM) staff made a series of house calls to Dr. Jorge Tuma-Mubarak, a Peruvian physician who is one of the leading experts in the field. Dr. Tuma is a pioneer in the use of autologous adult stem cell therapy (A-ASC). Although it has proven its safety, this therapy is still not practiced in the United States due to legal restrictions. Many clinics around the world are serving American clients who travel abroad to benefit from this therapy. Dr. Tuma, who is visiting professor at Columbia University in New York City, has no doubt that once this therapy is legalized, American institutions will quickly champion the leadership in this field. In the meantime, foreign countries like China, Germany, India and Israel harbor the scientists who are doing the current cutting-edge research.

Dr. Tuma's website has testimonials of successful A-ASC cases; most impressive is a Parkinson's case where there is a definite difference between the before and after. Dr. Tuma does not claim that A-ASC therapy is a cure, but a solution to dramatically improve the quality of life. Dr. Tuma believes that his work will become more effective when the construction of two new high tech labs in Lima are completed. These facilities will allow him to more efficiently select the various cell sub-populations collected from the patient's bone marrow. It will also allow them to be expanded to get a greater number for implantation to an organ that is to be served. This procedure is safe, relatively simple and has enormous promises as techniques developed around the world are being refined.

The science behind A-ASC therapy supports the idea that this therapy can rejuvenate people and help heal degenerative processes. One of FAIM's objectives is to connect scientists that are seemingly doing unrelated work, but in reality could have an important synergic effect. Because we stick our noses everywhere we can, a lot of novel ideas have come our way. For example, a theory has come to our attention that energy medicine activates stem cells. The theory goes so far as to speculate that different frequencies can activate different cell lines. Therefore, FAIM is making an effort to connect the dots by creating communication between scientists in these two exciting fields.

Another example, Dr. Laurent Schidler in Spain explained to us that lizards are able to regenerate their tails by creating an enormous electrical potential that stimulates the replication of stem cells. Devices like the Papimi can replicate this electrical potential. FAIM is collaborating with specialists to see if this technology can be tested in combination with stem cells.

FAIM is hopeful that one day soon, United States legislators will look at the science of A-ASC therapy and make a decision that will favor its implementation in American.

For more information, please visit Dr. Jorge Tuma's website.