Panorama's week that was - May 17 - May 23
Perhaps it is no surprise that our programme Stem Cells and Miracles drew a passionate response from viewers given the film's emotive subject. We received emails from people suffering long-term illnesses now considering the controversial treatment which remains unproven. We also heard from people who have visited clinics, paying thousands of pounds to doctors promising a cure. Below are just some of the comments we received, giving a flavour of the debate surrounding stem cell therapy, and there's more :
"A brilliant programme, many thanks. My wife had a brain stem stroke, aged 23, in 2000 and we are hopeful and confident that one day there will be stem cell treatment to make her well. These charlatans taking people's money and trampling on hopes and dreams should be outlawed UNTIL they can prove their claims in medical journals and to reputable medical centres. One day stem cell treatment WILL be mainstream and then my wife and I can go forward. Until then, thanks to Panorama and the like, showing these disgraceful mercenaries for what they are."
- Aaron Broome
"I watched Panorama tonight on stem cell treatment and felt it was a little negative. This weekend we decided to raise £11,000 to take our daughter to Germany's Xcell-centre to receive stem cell transplantation for her condition, Cerebral Palsy. We are more than happy for you to follow our story as it is different to the one televised in that the Centre we are attending is a registered clinic backed by the German government."
- Sarah Westcott
"I would like to say that as a former patient of the Beike company in China (twice) I received 4 injections of stem cells which I felt helped my illness which is hereditary ataxia SCA1 for around 10 months before I felt some ailments coming back. The second time I had 6 injections which has lasted over 1 year. I now feel some symptoms coming back? I am a 39-year-old man and went over there very open minded about it all as I have lost a lot of family members through this illness and found that it improved some things in the illness (not all!) some. So it annoys me that even if people feel better for the treatment these professors need a piece of paper to prove it? I have spoken to 3 other patients with the same illness as me and all told me the exact same results as me? Anyway good programme and let's hope it pushes this corrupt government into doing something faster as most people want."
- Brian MacNeill
"I have to say I'm disappointed on the program that aired. The program, I feel, was completely negative. The illnesses that stem cell therapy claim to help are so very devastating that most people who suffer from them are scrabbling for any hope that there may be some form of cure available. It also makes me angry that western medicine dismisses foreign treatment when the UK or the US refuse to even research into domestic stem cell treatment. I am frustrated as Panorama failed to show any positive results for this treatment that would allow people to make an almost informed decision. I understand that it is not a scientifically proven procedure however I ask is there any evidence to prove it does not work. I feel the program makers have a responsibility to show "the other side" of this treatment where positive results have been shown."
- Jaemey Stewart
Another week and another heated topic - . It has certainly kept the nation talking with and provided plenty of material for comedians and alike. So, Panorama decided to marry the very serious subject of the use of taxpayers' money with a bit of tongue-in-cheek treatment by appointing our very own MP for Panorama, Shelley Jofre, in Is your MP working for you?
Shelley's manifesto? To investigate how much money she can bring in without breaking the rules. Of course Shelley's change of career is entirely fictional, but the funds she found available to real MPs are not. This leads us to question whether MPs' expenses are just the tip of the iceberg. Certainly, major is now on the agenda.
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