"In an early study an experimental stem cell procedure helped  teens httpsteens.webmd.comdefault.htm with type  diabetes httpsdiabetes.webmd.comguidediabetesoverviewfacts stay off of insulin https injections for about . years on average. The study was very small and the procedure is not ready for widespread use. We now have a unique approach with some positive findings but its still early. We need to better understand the biology behind the treatment and follow patients for longterm side effects Robert E. Ratner MD chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes https Association tells WebMD. This is the latest of several stem cell studies to show promising results for the treatment of type  diabetes https Ratner notes. In the new study  of  teens with type  diabetes https who got an experimental treatment using their own stem cells https went into remission and did not need insulin https injections for an average of about . years. The cocktail treatment combines stem cell therapy with drugs that suppress the bodys immune system. In type  diabetes https the immune system attacks and destroys insulin https cells within the pancreas https The experimental treatment is called autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation HSCT. It aims to kill the destructive immune system cells and replace them with immature stem cells https not programmed to destroy insulinproducing cells. First patients are given drugs to stimulate production of blood https stem cells. The blood https stem cells are then removed from the body and frozen. Then patients are hospitalized and given drugs to kill the destructive immune system cells. The harvested blood stem cells are then put back into the patient. Eight teens who took part in the study have remained insulinfree for two years on average. One patient has gone without insulin injections for . years. All our patients considered the treatment to be worthwhile and beneficial though some patients experienced side effects study head Weiqiong Gu MD of Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai tells WebMD. As a result of the immunesystem suppressing drugs most of the patients in Gus study experienced side effects including low white blood cell counts fever nausea https vomiting https hair loss https and suppression of bone marrow. Most of those side effects disappeared within two to four weeks and unlike in previous studies of the experimental therapy none of the patients developed infections pneumonia https low sperm https counts or organ damage. One woman became pregnant https by natural means a year after transplantation and delivered a healthy girl Gu says. Still patients have to be followed for years to ensure they do not develop known longterm complications of immunesuppressing drugs including tumors and infertility https Gu says. The findings were presented here at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes https Association and appear in the July issue of the journal Diabetes Care."