FDA: Please approve umbilical cord?derived stem cell therapy for Jacob Gallegos to treat his Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in the state of California ?He deserves to live!
If a treatment is available that has proven to slow the progression of a deadly disease and add years and quality to life it should be made available to the patient.
Jacob Gallegos has lived his 31 years of life with a debilitating and deadly disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD is a common progressive genetic disorder, which causes aggressive deterioration of the muscles. Patients with this disease typically do not live past the age of 27. Jacob is a fighter but he needs your help. There is a treatment available that has proven to extend the life and quality of life for those granted the right to have this treatment. There have been two DMD patients who have had umbilical cord-derived stem cell treatment for this disease in the United States, Ryan Benton, and the latest patient, a 6 year old boy. Both patients travelled to Panama for the initial treatments, as there are laws restricting adult stem cell therapy in the United States. The FDA has approved subsequent treatments to be administered in the United States, but only for these two patients. Ryan Benton?s condition has stabilized and he has suffered no adverse side effects. His prognosis has gone from critical to stable. His quality of life has improved greatly, gaining weight and muscle control back. Jacob cannot travel to Panama to receive this treatment and without it, his prognosis is very poor. His condition is critical and it?s imperative that he begin some form of treatment as soon as possible. Imagine what it would be like to be a cancer patient, and the treatment needed was available, but only for two patients, leaving you only one outcome and that is to die. Jacob deserves to live! Jacob deserves treatment! Tell the FDA to make this treatment available for Jacob, in California.
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