e-Stork helps hemophilia carrier have healthy child
5/03/2010 03:45:00 AM
2010/04/29 20:11:31
Taipei, April 29 (CNA) A biotechnology company in Taiwan said Thursday that it has helped a local woman who carries the hemophilia gene to conceive a baby who will not suffer from hemophilia -- a genetic disease that makes bleeding uncontrollable -- and hailed it as the first case in Asia.
The woman, whose name was not revealed, had lost four sons over the past 10 years, one of whom died during surgery, possibly because of hemophilia, when he was 7 months old, while the other were aborted after being diagnosed with hemophilia.
"She did not give up despite a series of failed attempts. Now, she is having a healthy child due in August after using an advanced biotechnology technique called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)," said her doctor, Stork Lai, Dean of e-Stork Reproductive Center in Hsin Chu City, Taiwan.
"The biotechnology helps find out if an embryo is free of the hemophilia gene before the embryo is implanted in the womb, " he told reporters.
At the press briefing, Lai donated NT$1 million (about US$32,000) he received from the woman's husband as a gift to benefit more of those in Taiwan who fear having a hemophiliac baby.
The donation will go to Genesis Genetics Asia (GGA), a subsidiary of Bionet that offers the biotechnology. The donation is expected to benefit 15 people, each of whom will receive a subsidy of NT$75,000 that will pay for the biotechnology to screen out the hemophilia gene.
"The biotechnology is expensive and we hope the government can also provide funds to better cover the expenses, " said Jacky Liao, head of Hemophiliacs' Rights Taiwan, a body dedicated to the welfare of hemophiliacs.
There are more than 900 hemophiliacs in Taiwan, many of whom want to have children, he added.
Hemophiliacs are the top receivers of government subsidies for their disease expenses under Taiwan's national health program, according to government figures released in March.
The PGD technology, which was invented by U.S. doctor Mark Hughes in 1990, has helped some 5,000 cases in the United States and Europe, covering hemophilia and nearly 200 other hereditary diseases, according to GGA.
Bionet sought to obtain the biotechnology eight years ago, but did not get authorization for the Asian region until 2008 after beating competitors from Malaysia, Japan and China, said Chris Tsai, the company's chairman.
Bionet established GGA in late 2008 as a joint venture with Hughes' Genesis Genetics Institute.
A number of hospitals in Taiwan have recently announced that they have developed and applied similar biotechnologies for those who suffer from various other genetic diseases. (By Alex Jiang) ENDITEM/J
Taipei, April 29 (CNA) A biotechnology company in Taiwan said Thursday that it has helped a local woman who carries the hemophilia gene to conceive a baby who will not suffer from hemophilia -- a genetic disease that makes bleeding uncontrollable -- and hailed it as the first case in Asia.
The woman, whose name was not revealed, had lost four sons over the past 10 years, one of whom died during surgery, possibly because of hemophilia, when he was 7 months old, while the other were aborted after being diagnosed with hemophilia.
"She did not give up despite a series of failed attempts. Now, she is having a healthy child due in August after using an advanced biotechnology technique called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)," said her doctor, Stork Lai, Dean of e-Stork Reproductive Center in Hsin Chu City, Taiwan.
"The biotechnology helps find out if an embryo is free of the hemophilia gene before the embryo is implanted in the womb, " he told reporters.
At the press briefing, Lai donated NT$1 million (about US$32,000) he received from the woman's husband as a gift to benefit more of those in Taiwan who fear having a hemophiliac baby.
The donation will go to Genesis Genetics Asia (GGA), a subsidiary of Bionet that offers the biotechnology. The donation is expected to benefit 15 people, each of whom will receive a subsidy of NT$75,000 that will pay for the biotechnology to screen out the hemophilia gene.
"The biotechnology is expensive and we hope the government can also provide funds to better cover the expenses, " said Jacky Liao, head of Hemophiliacs' Rights Taiwan, a body dedicated to the welfare of hemophiliacs.
There are more than 900 hemophiliacs in Taiwan, many of whom want to have children, he added.
Hemophiliacs are the top receivers of government subsidies for their disease expenses under Taiwan's national health program, according to government figures released in March.
The PGD technology, which was invented by U.S. doctor Mark Hughes in 1990, has helped some 5,000 cases in the United States and Europe, covering hemophilia and nearly 200 other hereditary diseases, according to GGA.
Bionet sought to obtain the biotechnology eight years ago, but did not get authorization for the Asian region until 2008 after beating competitors from Malaysia, Japan and China, said Chris Tsai, the company's chairman.
Bionet established GGA in late 2008 as a joint venture with Hughes' Genesis Genetics Institute.
A number of hospitals in Taiwan have recently announced that they have developed and applied similar biotechnologies for those who suffer from various other genetic diseases. (By Alex Jiang) ENDITEM/J
Hope that the people in need can see this Gospel ! !
ReplyDeleteAs a sign of gratitude for how my husband was saved from hemophilia, i decided to reach out to those still suffering from this.
ReplyDeleteMy husband suffered hemophilia and it was really tough and heartbreaking for me because he was my all and the symptoms were terrible, we tried various therapies prescribed by our neurologist but none could cure him. I searched for a cure and i saw a testimony by someone who was cured and so many other with similar body problem, and he left the contact of the doctor who had the herbal cure to hemophilia . I never imagined hemophilia has a cure not until i contacted him and he assured me my husband will be fine. I got the herbal medication he recommended and my husband used it and in one months he was fully okay even up till this moment he is so full of life.hemophilia has a cure and it is a herbal cure contact the doctor for more info on drwilliams098675@gmail.com on how to get the medication. Thanks for reading my testimony.