An advances on the horizon??

[pugdaddy]

I don't recall seeing this topic discussed on this board, so here goes:
Mainly for those who interact often w/hepatologists -
Does anyone have a gauge for the realistic status of stem cells as a potential future treatment for liver disease?  Does anyone sense any optimism within the medical community for such a development...in either the near or the distant future??  Ether with stem cells - or with anything else that may be on the horizon.  So much progress is being made with treating hepatitis, and while I understand that cirrhosis presents a much different set of challenges I still nonetheless wonder if perhaps anyone has ever had such a conversation w/their liver doctor?

[pugdaddy]

Thanks Hector - that's rather what I thought to be the case, and I'm grateful for your confirmation!

[HectorSF]

Stem cells treatment are a long way off.

The hepatology community is focused on the new non-interferon treatments for hepatitis C as the majority of patients needing a liver transplant in the US is due to hepatitis C. That is where we will see the most advances in the next years and in time a vaccine. The focus of the hepatologist community can be seen at AASLD and EASL meetings over the past number of years since the first direct acting antivirals were introduced.

Hector