CBS 2 Report: Stem Cells May Aid Those At Risk For Heart Failure
CBS 2 Chicago, Friday, January 11, 2008
CBS 2's Medical Editor Mary Ann Childers reported that there may be hope for people with severe coronary artery disease who are at great risk for heart attacks and progressive heart failure—people who haven't been helped by surgeries, stents and other treatments. Gary L. Schaer, MD, and other doctors at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center are testing something they hope will help—injections of stem cells. Read this story at Stem Cells May Aid Those At Risk For Heart Failure or watch the news telecast at Stem Cell Injections May Help Heart Patients.

RUSH News Release: Heart Attack Patients Experience Significant Improvement When Treated With Stem Cells
March 27, 2007
Heart attack patients who received an new intravenous adult stem cell therapy, Provacel, experienced a lower number of adverse events, such as cardiac arrhythmias, and had significant improvements in heart, lung and global function compared to those who received a placebo. Rush was one of 10 premier cardiac centers across the country that participated in the 53-patient, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Read the entire news release at stem cells are helping heart attack patients.

Can Stem Cell Research Repair Damaged Hearts?
HEALTHWATCH WITH NESITA KWAN
On February 14, 2007, NBC5's HealthWatch reporter and co-anchor Nesita Kwan told the story of one man's experience with stem cells and his heart trouble. Read his story at Stem Cells To Strengthen Heart and see the Health Watch newscast at Can Stem Cell Research Repair Damaged Hearts.

Adult Stem Cells for Heart Repair?
Chicago, February 2, 2007
United Press International
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago Illinois are taking part in the Autologous Cellular Therapy CD34-Chronic Myocardial Ischemia (ACT34-CMI) Trial, a phase 2 study that will assess whether blood-derived, CD34(plus) stem cells can improve the symptoms and outcomes in patients with chronic myocardial ischemia (CMI), a severe form of coronary artery disease. Read this story at Adult Stem Cells for Heart Repair. 

Mending a Broken Heart
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center are investigating whether autologous stem cells (cells obtained from a patient’s own body that can mature into other types of tissue) can restore blood flow to the heart in people who have exhausted other treatment options. Read this story at Mending a Broken Heart or learn about specific clinical trial criteria at Stem Cell Research at Rush.

RUSH News Release and Discover Rush Online Article
January 15, 2007
Rush University Medical Center is one of the first medical centers in the country, and currently the only site in Illinois, participating in a novel clinical trial to determine if a subject’s own stem cells can treat a form of severe coronary artery disease. Read the entire news release at Potential for Adult Stem Cells to Repair Hearts Damaged by Severe Coronary Artery Disease and learn more about this Adult Stem Cell Study at Discover Rush Online.

Hope or hype for heart?
Desperate patients enroll in stem cell trials
January 15, 2007
By: Chicago Sun Times Health Reporter Jim Ritter
You suffer a heart attack at an early age. You've tried many treatments, but none have been very helpful. What now? Read the story of one patient, published by the Chicago Sun-Times at Hope or hype for heart? The article features Gary L. Schaer, MD, FACC, director of interventional cardiology at Rush University Medical Center, who is currently conducting studies.

Noncontroversial form of stem cell treatment could regenerate heart tissue
On January 12, 2007, Gary L. Schaer, MD, FACC, joined ABC-7 News reporter Sylvia Perez for a discussion about stem cell trials currently enrolling patients at Rush University Medical Center. Read more and see the interview at can stem cells help regenerate heart tissue. Patients interested in participating in these trials can call Catherine Glase at (312) 942-8901 or learn more at the Rush cardiovascular research clinical trials Web site.

Attacking Heart Failure
December 8, 2006
WGN-TV9 the CW Television Chicago
When bypass surgery and drugs can't help, doctors hope a new weapon will save lives. Read the story of one patient who developed severe angina and is hoping that a study under way at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago can help him. He hopes to grow new blood vessels in areas of the heart muscle that are not getting enough blood and oxygen by Attacking Heart Failure.

Hope for Hearts
On April 17, 2006, CBS 2 Chicago medical editor Mary Ann Childers reported in a piece called "Hope for Hearts" about a recently concluded study at Rush University Medical Center. The Osiris trial explored a treatment that administers healthy stem cells from an adult donor’s bone marrow via an ordinary IV line to regenerate the heart muscle. Gary L. Schaer, MD, FACC, professor of medicine and director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Rush, was interviewed about the treatment. This is the first human study of stem cells being administered in this way with the goal of repairing a damaged heart. Read the story in its entirety and view the interview with Schaer at Hope for Hearts.