MARY OOMMEN -
Recent advances in cell therapy have changed the way we think about medicine. In fact, over the past few years we have witnessed a potential shift from traditional methods of health care to one with greater focus on the possibilities offered by regenerative and curative treatments. Regenerative medicine can be defined as healing through the use of stem-cells. Though still in its nascent stage, with evolving regulatory norms and low awareness, stem cell treatment is now being regarded as the future of modern medicine.
Experts in the field of stem cell therapy, Dr Pradeep Mahajan, renowned neurosurgeon, medical researcher and founder of Stemrx World and Dr. Michael Evaristi Magoti, Medical Director from Stemrx World recently visited Oman for a seminar that attempted to raise awareness and on stem cell-based therapy. Their high-end GMP compliant facility, is based in Mumbai, India and is fully equipped for progressive research and processing.
They explained that the human body has natural regenerative powers and uses stem cells to heal itself all the time. However, there are times when the body simply isn’t up to the task. Perhaps an organ is too damaged to function anymore, or we can’t fight disease effectively enough to keep it from attacking healthy tissues. This is where stem cell therapy comes to the rescue.
Stem cells found in our bone marrow actively work towards keeping our body healthy. When placed at the site of damaged tissue, these powerful stem cells can be stimulated and reverse engineered to produce almost any type of cell, thereby promoting the regrowth of new cells that our body needs to be healthy.
Dr Pradeep Mahajan[/caption]
According to Dr. Magoti, “specialists at Stemrx World work within a well-established system. In neurological cases, we undertake brain mapping to see which part of the brain is affected and simultaneously study clinical symptoms before the medical team designs a treatment protocol that is specific to the patient’s needs. At Stemrx, we provide what I like to call a ‘sandwich protocol’ which involves a bio-medical approach and includes magnetic resonance therapy and transcranial electric stimulations in addition to stem cell therapy. We have successfully treated numerous patients, and have thus far, had no regressions.”
Dr. Michael Evaristi Magoti[/caption]
The global stem cell market is expected to reach USD 270.5 Billion by 2025, while increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 13.8% during the period from 2017 to 2025. Increasing incidents of chronic diseases and growing investments by pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies in stem cell research are the key factors for the rising interest in stem cell therapy. Additionally, the growing number of stem cell donors, improved stem cell banking facilities and mounting focus on research and development are the other crucial factors driving the market.
The advances in stem cell therapy are coming at a good time and are giving new hope for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s and neurodevelopmental conditions like Cerebral Palsy and Autism. Stem cell therapy is also successfully being used to treat traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries and even cancer. According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, taking 9.6 million lives in 2018. Advancements in stem cell research may help lower that statistic.
However, regenerative medicine is still a relatively young field, and it is still early days and physicians are working to determine how best to optimize results for the best outcome. Clearly, this is an exciting time for regenerative medicine and after decades of basic research, the field is finally at a turning point. Given these developments, average human life is now extending and people are living decades longer than they did a hundred years ago.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
