PH to be headquarters of stem cell therapy and research hub of Asia

MANILA, Philippines—The much-anticipated opening of the Asian Regenerative Center for Cellular Therapies (ARCCT) will soon be taking stem cell therapy treatment to a whole new level and on a larger scale than ever before in the Philippines. Slated to open in September

2012, the center will provide cellular regeneration therapies to treat conditions related to aging and chronic pain.

The ARCCT will be a pioneer and a leader in medical research and innovations, immune and stem cell research and therapies, and in wellness and anti-aging programs. The research and therapies of the ARCCT will serve to advance knowledge of cellular regeneration medicine in Asia and the rest of the world.

Some of the medical services and applications that the ARCCT will offer include immune and stem cell storage; genetic tests; muscular dysfunction diseases (orthopedic and reconstructive); chronic pain; antiaging therapies; organic vaccines; as well as cosmetic and dermatologic treatments. “It is the ARCCT’s vision to bring most advanced technology equipment available today for stem cell therapy or regenerative cellular therapy.

This technology and machinery has never been brought to the Philippines prior to the ARCCT’s establishment,” said Cynthia Carrion, president of the Asian Holistic Medical Alliance, which owns and administers the ARCCT in a joint venture with the US-based Keller Medical Institute. Carrion is also the former Tourism Undersecretary that helped launch the Philippines’ medical tourism program.

According to Carrion, the ARCCT is envisioned to make the Philippines a hub for regenerative cellular therapies in Asia. It will not only offer medical treatments but also, just as importantly, the latest and best research on the present and future applications of stem cell technology. “When it comes to cellular regeneration therapy, the Philippines and the rest of the world have yet to discover its full potential for improving human health.

The kind of stem cell therapy that is being done in the Philippines today is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. What the ARCCT will do is broaden the treatment applications of stem cell or regenerative cellular therapies, and offer it on a larger scale at more affordable prices. This will bring the benefits of cellular regeneration therapy to more people,” said Carrion. Carrion added that the ARCCT’s wide range of applications for stem cell therapy offers the chance for many patients to receive effective, non-surgical treatments for many types of illnesses and conditions. “We would rather refer to stem cell therapy as cellular regenerative therapy because of the wide range of applications that this new medical technology can offer patients.

Also, ARCCT will use stem cells that come from human sources, without using human or animal embryos.

“You see, stem cells can be sourced from bone marrow, cord blood, and even muscle,

skin and adipose tissue. So if one has the proper technology, there’s really no need to take from human or animal embryos,” she explained. Some conditions that cellular regeneration therapy is used for include the treatment of autoimmune diseases; arthritis and cerebral palsy; diabetes type 2; heart failure; multiple sclerosis; torn tendons, ligaments or muscles; stroke; Parkinson’s disease; erectile dysfunction; hearing loss; muscular degeneration; pulmonary fibrosis; emphysema; spinal cord injuries; lupus and certain viral diseases. Cellular regeneration therapy may also be used in cosmetic, anti-aging procedures.

Another interesting application of cellular regeneration technology is in the storage of our immune cells. By the time a human being reaches the fifth decade of life, his or her immune cells have grown old. This compromises a person’s immune system, reducing the body’s capacity to fight diseases and the effects of old age. “Cellular regeneration technology allows us to harvest immune cells, and to multiply and store them as healthy immune cells.

These healthy immune cells may be used on the patient to help fight various diseases, including cancer and aging-related conditions,” said Carrion. The ARCCT is established through a partnership between the Asian Holistic Medical Alliance and the US-based Keller Medical Institute, a leading clinical facility for cellular regeneration treatments that has already patented its own therapies and procedures. The facility is composed of worldrenowned physicians in cellular regeneration medicine, including a Nobel Prize winner, under the leadership of its CEO and medical director, Dr. Robert Keller.

CYNTHIA CARRION, AHMA president and Dr. Robert Keller of US-based Keller Medical Institute partner to create the Asian Regenerative Center for Cellular Therapies set to make the Philippines a hub for regenerative cellular therapies in Asia

Dr. Keller’s expertise include non-surgical cosmetic treatments like lipolysis, skin lasers, cosmetic injections, autologous fat transfer, as well as advanced imaging and laboratory test analysis and wellness planning, as well as predictive genetics. Dr. Keller also practices emergency medicine, family clinical, urgent care clinical skills and sports medicine. He is also the CEO and medical director of another clinic in the US, which is Regenertec, Inc.

The cutting-edge technology that will be used by the ARCCT also makes it a highly-advanced laboratory and diagnostics facility. For example, ARCCT patients may avail of a genetic test that will map which diseases they are at risk for, so they can take immediate steps to prevent those illnesses.

“Prevention is a major component of the therapies that patients may avail of at the ARCCT.Imagine, from just a simple saliva sample, the patient will already get information on what diseases they are vulnerable to. In other words, why wait until you get sick to get treatment? It’s much better to know what illnesses you can prevent now, even before they occur,” said Carrion. Those who wish to take part in the next medical revolution and help the Philippines make an impact in the world of medicine are invited to join the ARCCT. Interested parties may send an e-mail to cnorton@skybroadband. com.ph. (Advt)