On the Cusp: A Futuristic View of Medicine

The field of Regenerative and Restorative Medicine (RRM) continues to have an increased impact on the delivery of healthcare. At first considered only the delivery of stem cells for end stage diseases, RRM now encompasses multiple modalities of treatment; pre-natal through geriatric, holistic to allopathic, preventative through post injury healing. The hurdles that exist for new RRM therapies to gain acceptance and reimbursement were discussed.



SESSION
On the Cusp: A Futuristic View of Medicine

PRESENTER
Stuart Williams, Chief Science Officer, Tissue Genesis

TAKE-AWAY
There is a crisis in the healthcare industry right now in terms of innovation and new ideas. Without companies like Bioheart Angiomics, Riveria Medical Technologies, Pare Guidant/Boston Scientific, Medtronic and Atrium Bolton Medical we as a nation would be lost on the medical innovations front.

BEST PRACTICES
Innovation and new ideas can come from anywhere and it is crucial to not self-limit or think inside the box.

ACTION ITEM(S) TO IMPLEMENT
Create a company-wide framework to encourage innovation and ideas.

TAKE-AWAY
Stem cells have created countless regenerative medicine companies, and a significant amount of work is currently being done.

BEST PRACTICES
Don’t overlook the importance of the veterinary element of regenerative medicine—a field that is only growing due to demand and technology and new regulations.

ACTION ITEM(S) TO IMPLEMENT
Clinical trials are necessary to prove what works. Informed consent is needed to take something such as Platelet Rich Plasma for orthopedic functioning from experimental to clinical. There are over 3,000 clinical trials utilizing stem cells on the FDA website.

TAKE-AWAY
More stem cell trials are needed to prove efficacy.

BEST PRACTICES
Currently there is not enough of a summary of research to deliver conclusions. Companies must create more clinical trials and gather more data. Unfortunately, regulatory issues have become a large impediment to the advancement of stem cell research.

ACTION ITEM(S) TO IMPLEMENT
Enroll more patients in clinical trials to create more judgments.

FINAL THOUGHT
There is an initial onslaught of drugs used on a patient, and cell based therapies are often not used until the patient has suffered for an average of 10 to 15 years. The healthcare field needs to replace early drug therapies with stem cell treatments-- patients need earlier access to this effective treatment.

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