wise words
A Doctor’s Advice to Patients about Regenerative Medicine
R
oshni N. Patel, MD, is an interventional pain management physician who is quadruple-boardcertified in the areas of pain, headache, neurology and brain injury. Currently the medical director of the Center of Excellence in Pain & Regenerative Medicine in Farmington, she has been treating patients for 15 years and offers regenerative medicine procedures to patients seeking pain relief and improved quality of life. We asked her to share her thoughts on the regenerative medicine questions that are top of mind for our readers.
What are the most exciting developments in the regenerative medicine field right now? The most exciting recent developments in the field certainly include the advances in research both conducted and published. 24 Hartford County Edition
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Also, while still slowmoving, we’re seeing a bit of momentum gained in the increase in insurance companies’ willingness to pay for these procedures; they’ve begun to realize that the patients and their own coffers stand to benefit in the long run by avoiding expensive medical procedures down the line. For example, Alabama is now paying for its state employees to undergo these therapies. I am hoping primary care providers become more aware of these therapies, so they can accurately guide their patients in seeking out the right medical professional for these treatments. Patients should be well-informed on the possibilities and limitations of regenerative medicine. The other exciting recent development has been the momentum and gains we’re seeing in the field of iPSC, or induced pluripotent stem cells, which can be engineered to treat a myriad of condi-
How do you address the common misconceptions patients and the public have about regenerative medicine? When it comes to misconceptions by the public at large, primarily they think all regenerative medicine is a stem cell procedure, which just isn’t true. Most of them don’t know about other options, like PRP, and that these procedures are available in reputable facilities within the U.S. They also think the therapies will cost tens of thousands of dollars. One of the most common misconceptions about regenerative medicine by patients is that they see it as a cure. Rather, it is a therapy that can improve their quality of life, and that is what practitioners should aim for with every patient that walks into their practice. There are still other factors to consider. For example, patients with healthy lifestyles have better outcomes compared to patients with unhealthy lifestyles.
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JUST THE FACTS
tions affecting degeneration. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is taking a lead in researching and conducting the trials on it. The therapy involves taking a patient’s blood cells and, in a lab, converting them into iPS cells, which have the potential to form any type of cell in the body. This study goes back to the basics of using the patient’s own blood cells to treat degeneration without the use of external biologics. iPSC, once perfected, will be able to change how we treat patients. I’m also following the use of regenerative medicine for neurological conditions, as researchers are still in the early stages of developing therapies for Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, dementia and Alzheimer’s. The therapeutic potential of cell-based treatment for several neurological disorders cannot be understated, as many of them currently result in either permanent neurological damage or are incurable. Regenerative medicine may offer an alternative approach to supportive care.
