UAE doctor clarifies stem cell treatment doesn’t cure COVID-19, but fights symptoms

A laboratory worker handles a biological sample at a drive-through COVID-19 coronavirus testing centre in al-Khawaneej district of Dubai, UAE on April 9, 2020. (AFP)

• The doctor said clinical trials for the new treatment are ongoing
• It was first used on a patient early last month, and has so far helped 73 coronavirus patients

DUBAI: An Abu Dhabi doctor said the new stem cell treatment against COVID-19 “doesn’t provide an entire cure,” but helps patients overcome its symptoms, local daily Khaleej Times reported.
“It's a national achievement. This treatment is supportive and doesn't provide an entire cure. It helps patients overcome the symptoms caused by the virus but doesn't kill it,” Dr. Fatima Al-Kaabi, Head Hematology and Oncology at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, said.
Al-Kaabi, who was part of the 28-man team that came up with the treatment, added clinical trials are ongoing.
“We are about to conclude the collection of data to conduct further comparative experiments and compare them with patients who have not received the treatment,” she explained at a press conference on Saturday.
The treatment works by extracting stem cells from a patient’s blood and reintroducing it in an “activated” state to the lungs through a fine mist.
It was first used on a patient early last month, and has so far helped 73 coronavirus patients.