Eye Stem Cell Treatments to Begin in Dubai- Middle East

MD Stem Cells announces expansion of stem cell treatment for eye disease to Dubai, UAE.
 
DUBAI, UAE - March 25, 2014 - PRLog -- For many patients with serious eye disease going blind is a constant fear.  Visual loss from retinal or optic nerve problems is often progressive with devastating impact on a person’s ability to live a full life.  MD Stem Cells is now providing access to eye stem cell treatments for both children and adults in the Middle East at a new hospital in Dubai - part of the United Arab Emirates.

“We are extremely pleased that our retinal surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, is now able to provide the same quality of eye stem cell treatments in Dubai as have been performed in the United States under the SCOTS clinical study.  Because we are working at a hospital with full pediatric resources, we are now able to extend the treatment to both children and adults”, explained Dr. Levy, President of MD Stem Cells.

Dubai is a beautiful, cosmopolitan, safe city that is a hub of healthcare and economic activity for much of the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia.  Dubai is famous for having the tallest building in the world - theBurj Khalifa.  “Patients from the western hemisphere including the United States are often not familiar with Dubai as a center for superb  medical care” opined Dr. Levy. “It’s a matter of recognizing that Dubai provides  some of the highest levels of medical service available anywhere– equivalent to the best care provided in the United States or Europe.   We are proud and fortunate to be able to expand stem cell treatments to this part of the world.”

According to MD Stem Cells, one purpose of the expansion is to allow easier access to eye stem cell treatment for patients in different countries.  Dr. Levy notes, “We have had patients delay care waiting for visas to travel to the United States.  This can be stressful and confusing.  We hope that for patients from a number of countries it will be easier to travel to Dubai.”

Another reason for expanding to Dubai is the presence of eye disease in the Middle East. “There are many retinal and optic nerve diseases for which there is no conventional treatment to improve vision- we want to make adult stem cell treatments readily available and convenient for patients in the Middle East”, said Dr. Levy.

Dubai also provides the ability to treat retinal and optic nerve disease in children from the United States and other countries.  “With access to a world class hospital that provides impeccable pediatric care, we now have the ability to offer treatment for children safely.  The SCOTS study in the United States was only set up for patients 18 years of age and older as treatment is provided at an outpatient surgical center.  Now with a beautiful hospital fully equipped to manage anesthesia and pediatric patients directly, we feel comfortable extending care to children.”

Conditions eligible for treatment in Dubai include retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), myopic macular degeneration, hereditary retinopathies such as Retinitis Pigmentosa and Stargardts,  as well as selected inflammatory, vascular and traumatic conditions.  Optic nerve diseases considered eligible include glaucoma, ischemic optic neuropathy, optic atrophy, optic neuritis, Lebers , NMO or Devic’s syndrome and some trauma.  The study is focused on the ocular tissue that has sustained damage and its potential for improvement rather than a specific disease entity.

SCOTS is registered with the National Institutes of Health and listed on their website www.clinicaltrials.gov with identifier NCT01920867. Treatment in Dubai will be similar in approach.

“We hope that expanding to Dubai will provide an important treatment option for many patients suffering from retinal and optic nerve disease.  Our previous anecdotal experience with eye disease treated with stem cells has been positive and SCOTS has begun to reveal some very encouraging results,“ concluded Dr. Levy.

MD Stem Cells is a trusted and valued source of the latest information regarding clinically available adult stem cell treatments for patients.  MD Stem Cells is Collaborator and Dr. Levy is Study Director for the SCOTS Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study.  Patients interested in treatment in Dubai may contact MD Stem Cells by email, by phone (001) 203-423-9494 or by visiting the website  www.mdstemcells.com and using the Contact Us page.  Please follow us on Twitter @mdstemcells.com for updates about stem cell treatments.

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