One of the first uses of controversial embryonic stem cells in humans has slightly eased a degenerative form of blindness without side-effects, scientists reported yesterday.
The “ground-breaking” results are preliminary but publication of the research in The Lancet marks an important step for embryonic stem cells, which were hailed as a miracle cure after they were discovered in 1998 but then ran into ethical controversies and technical difficulties.
At the same time, scientists announced that the first British patient has now been given such stem cells.
The early-stage tests were carried out on two patients to see if the treatment was safe and further studies will be needed to discover whether it really can improve eyesight.
One patient, a woman in her 70s, had a