BANGKOK - A former director of Veterans General Hospital is campaigning against the hospital's decision to pursue stem cell research.
Namchai Kultaraporn outlined his concerns in a document he distributed on Friday at a ceremony held at the hospital in Bangkok to announce cooperationinvolving local and foreign researchers.
Stem cell treatment, he wrote, still requires a lot more research before it can be accepted in mainstream medicine. There are many medical safety, legal and ethical issues, he added.
Dr Namchai also questioned the transparency of the decision to begin research.
He said the current director, Gen Chaiwat Sathondi, who took office on April 2, entered agreements with private and public agencies without consulting the hospital's management team. Nobody knew the details of the cooperation or the organisations he had contacted, said Dr Namchai.
"Despite what was presented [at the ceremony], there are still no reasons for the hospital to have a stem cell project," Dr Namchai said.
The hospital has received budget approval to expand to 500 beds from 300 and that should be the priority, rather than renovation of building for other purposes, he added.
Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat attended the event and said that stem cell treatment was a suitable project for the hospital as it has to treat many soldiers who often sustain injuries and lose organs.
In addition to leading stem cell researchers assembled from around Thailand, the project has received cooperation from Chinese, American and British experts, he added.
The public would also have access to stem cell therapy at the hospital though the cost would be rather expensive, ACM Sukumpol added.
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