Jamison: Stem cell promises and the heart

Since long before Ponce de Leon embarked on his infamous quest, man has been searching for the mythical fountain of youth.

The latest quest, in the name of science, is stem-cell research.

The idea is that you take a stem cell, inject it into a human and hope that it knows what to do and how to function. Thus, it will cure illness, restore tissue and prolong life. The miracle cure.

Stem cells are truly magical in that they potentially contain the DNA for every structure in the body. The key is to unlock the code and tell the cell what to do and how to do it.

In the field of cardiology, institutions, medical centers and pharmaceutical companies are banking on selling the public on stem cells. Billions of dollars, public relations and marketing are at stake.

Unfortunately, the promises that have been made give people the false expectation that stem cells will save them and reverse the damage that unhealthy living has caused.

Stem cells are complex. The process of teaching them to go to the correct tissue, express the correct DNA and incorporate themselves into healthy tissue is daunting at best. It is important to understand that stem cells cannot be relied upon to reverse natural aging, self-induced illnesses or the eventuality of death.

Corporate entities and pharmaceutical companies will push stem cells, not because of scientific success, but for money, influence and self-promotion. The sad fact is that these false promises misdirect patients from a healthy lifestyle.

I have been told by patients, Why should I watch what I eat if stem cells will cure me?

Rather than being misdirected by the promise of the fountain of youth, we need to keep our eye on the ball. In this case, a healthy lifestyle and prevention.

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Jamison: Stem cell promises and the heart