Stem cell therapy–how profitable?
By Amadís Ma. Guerrero
You feel like you have entered an attractive boutique hotel in miniature; everything is neat, clean, almost spotless and sparkling.
You feel like you have entered an attractive boutique hotel in miniature; everything is neat, clean, almost spotless and sparkling.
In recent years, it’s common to hear beauty doctors in the Philippines offering stem cell therapy as if a new-found medical fountain of youth, the answer to all medical worries.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona on Friday warned the public against stem cell therapies, which are becoming popular here and abroad.
We’ve received quite a number of reactions regarding our article on stem cell therapy two weeks ago. Dr. Ramon Abarquez Jr., whose comments on the real status of this promising but still experimental form of therapy we extensively quoted in that column, told me he was politely confronted by several well-meaning colleagues who did not share his viewpoint.
It is the secret to the vitality of some of the country’s famous senior citizens, among them 88-year-old Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and 75-year-old former President Joseph Estrada.
Of course, other leading medical institutions in the country are also beefing up their facilities that involved stem cell-based therapy. In line with the 2015 mission of the Makati Medical Center, the hospital recently inaugurated the Cellular Therapeutics Lab (located at the 6th floor of Tower 2) that is set to give hope to those with cancer, diabetes Type 1, neurologic diseases and joints disorders. “Before we could even convince patients, we need to assure them that their cells will be processed by one of the most experienced staff and advanced facilities in the region.We offer ultraclean room facility (class 100) that can handle cell-based products and culture facility; sophisticated procedure to isolate stem cell (magneticactivated cell sorting); meticulous quality control and documentation; high-end equipment that are operated by experienced scientists; and established system to monitor the patient’s progress,” enumerated Dr. Eric Flores, head of MMC Cellular Therapeutics Laboratory.
