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Autism is a national epidemic in the United States, with one out of every 88 children being diagnosed on the spectrum. Anna Kooiman sits down with an ...
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Hello mom to help not gotten an appointment sitting in for -- -- -- Autism rates have increased dramatically over the last decade here in the United States and today.
The CDC says -- in every 88 children is on the spectrum so finding a cure is vital.
Joining me now talk about a groundbreaking clinical trial to treat autism is doctor Michael says director of pediatric neurology at -- neuroscience institute.
In California thank you so much for joining us my pleasure and and first -- he can just tell us a little bit about this clinical trial.
We we -- -- Do the first cord blood controlled study for ought to some where we're using cord blood as a source of thoughts themselves.
Two treat.
Children with autism.
And hope they don't modify the course of their disease and we're gonna do and and a double blind placebo controlled way so we can tell it's -- effectively.
Stem cells in the court but -- -- some.
The mansion affect.
And doctor says you tell me that currently people are already going to other countries -- on the -- whether it be China -- Costa Rica Panama.
To have this -- so where did you come up with the idea for this.
Yes I've been working at organizing the study for -- two years.
We are working with the cord blood registry which is.
Able to have a large source of cord blood that's been frozen and statistically we'll have adequate numbers of patients from there the study basically.
Shows that around the world research behind this shows that people and other countries China for instance Israel Germany have done some court -- off to some study work.
And then there's a lot of anecdotal Internet stories and people who have heard from someone else went to some country like paneling patents themselves.
All won together the real science vs the rumored science.
It comes out that there does seem to be some effect for some children so we felt the only way to answer the question correctly was to do an appropriate scientific study and get the right way that this resource.
If it is deposit resource and understand how they work better so we can design -- for people mean out of frozen -- -- what have other mechanisms we can imply that -- says Howard to stem cells actually administered to the patient.
Right -- stem cells are all part of -- but once frozen babies have cord blood.
Where the stem cells are actually more like embryonic stem cells and more -- potential but a very small percentage they're given mainly through an IV infusion just like any other blood infusion inner.
It's very simple.
And that's what people do in these studies around the world right now for the most part.
And to keep it safe and easy that's the best thing to do it state of the -- right now.
What is it about these stem cells in particular that make them it you know something that's going to be useful for these patients.
Well in autism.
There's many people who will be screened for the study to make sure they don't have a genetic or other brain injury before.
If there what do we call an autism with no known cause.
Then theoretically there could be a combination of an environmental factors such as their immune system being part of the problem.
And also neural cells that may not connected well based on some of scientific theory stem -- may change both of those issues and court lets himself may be better at that -- there.
Young state they actually do more that than say stem cells harvested from an adult and possibly modified.
And you mentioned that you wanna keep this and -- young and for that for the candidates as well right who's eligible for.
Well we think the best effect would be the younger children also what we want to measure is a course symptom and of course something can be language languages most likely to change.
In the -- between two and seven so we try to use that range for our children also below wage to.
An official diagnosis is hard to make.
What kind of results are you expecting to be getting from this whether it's.
You know just from your own previous research -- what -- noticed across.
Around the world really right.
Well based on experience I've had with some patients who have gone for several policy get cord blood at universities like duke where they've done it occasionally.
What I can tell you is that I expect to see some group of these patients to improve.
What I want to see is if it's a true response when you actually control against the placebo.
So what we're hoping is that -- hopefully have some better social and language interaction.
And but like any good scientist I'll tell you I can't really make a prediction.
-- we actually analyze the data.
Well without one in 88 children and that's just a startling statistics snow up a lot of people concerned about the -- -- find more information.
Well they can go to the cord blood registry and there's a 1800 number we use them because.
That's for the -- but for the patients if -- stored -- there are -- they have the option.
And then they will turn their data over to us once the parents contact that number and we will screen them from there.
OK doctor says thank you so much for joining us today in coming all the way from.
California in New York we appreciate it my pleasure thank you if you have a health topic you wanna talk about send them -- doctor beating foxnews.com.
I'm in a -- and thanks for watching.
