We have observed an interesting trend in regenerative medicine over last 12 months or so: despite plenty of bad press fueled by a small number of shady stem cell clinics, interest in stem cell therapies continues to grow among both clinicians and patients alike. We have seen it first-hand as a steady stream of doctors continue signing up to take our stem cell therapy training courses. So what’s driving the interest? Clinical trials.

Across the country, and around the world, researchers with no bones to pick are taking a serious look at stem cell therapy and other regenerative medicine procedures to treat a wide range of diseases and illnesses. From MS to heart disease and cancer, regenerative medicine is now getting the most serious look it has gotten in decades. Medical science is finally waking up to the reality that regenerative medicine is legitimate.

Studies Are Showing Results

We do not need media coverage of clinical trials to validate what we do as a provider of PRP and stem cell training. But we do value the trials for what they are accomplishing. For example, consider a recent meta-analysis of 15 MS studies done in Canada. The results of the meta-study showed that upwards of 83% of relapsing-remitting MS patients treated with stem cell therapy showed no evidence of disease activity at two years. Another 67% were good for five years.

Some of the patients went on to be relapse-free for upwards of 13 years following stem cell treatment. Those are the kinds of results that get the attention of doctors and patients. The autologous stem cell transplants given to the Canadian patients were significantly more effective than the most effective alternative therapies.

The Canadian studies are just the tip of the iceberg. Whether you are talking MS or osteoarthritis, the data is coming in – and it is looking very good. What a small number of clinicians have known for decades is now being validated by hard science that can no longer be disputed. The door has finally opened to earnest efforts at better understanding the power of stem cells and platelet-rich plasma for healing.

Patients Want Something Different

Underscoring all the scientific research is something that rarely gets much notice in the press. While media outlets tend to focus on bogus clinics, government enforcement, and the politics of regenerative medicine, the fact that patients want something different is largely ignored. But it shouldn’t be.

Western medicine has been built on the premise of symptom management. Rather than trying to find a way to reverse osteoarthritis for example, we have put our efforts into coming up with therapies to ease the pain. We’ve come up with addictive painkillers, cortisone shots, and even surgeries to replace a patient’s damaged knee with an artificial substitute.

Patients have decided the old ways of doing things aren’t good enough anymore. They have decided they are more interested in healing than symptom management and part replacement. That’s driving doctors our way, as growing numbers of them are looking to add stem cell and PRP therapy to their practices.

Bring It On

Those of us in the regenerative medicine field welcome as much clinical research as possible. We are not afraid of looking at the science behind regenerative medicine because we believe in its potential. Thankfully, researchers are now getting on board as well.

There are a number of great studies being conducted even as you read this blog post. We look forward to the results they will produce down the road. Now is a great time to be involved in regenerative medicine.