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The International Foundation
Regenerative Medicine (IFRM) is a non-profit organisation that intends to
inform Patient Organisations (PO), medical personal and carers about medical
perspectives, economic chances and social consequences for public health
systems, insurance companies, pharmaceutical industry etc. resulting from
Regenerative Medicine (RM) and its sub-discipline Tissue Engineering (TE).
Moreover, the IFRM intends to render information about the current
development of research in the fields of TE and RM.
International Foundation Regenerative
Medicine (IFRM) organizes the annual event Living a long and
fulfilled life without loss of quality is probably one of the oldest dreams
of mankind. However, despite the fact that we are already able to extend
human live span considerably by means of various technical and medical
achievements it cannot be denied that this unfortunately often comes along
with a drastic loss of quality of life. Sensory and neuronal-degenerative
disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatic diseases, osteoporosis etc.
have become increasingly common in modern industrial countries consequently
creating a considerable financial burden for public health systems and health
insurance companies. In times of a
constantly increasing human life span many people are concerned about their
future and afraid of depending on medical machinery and nursing. Another
factor not to be neglected is extensive medication that usually is
accompanied by massive side effects. The novel technologies and therapies of
TE and RM could help to overcome these problems. However, the public
is still insufficiently informed and consequently uncertain about positive or
negative effects of such novel forms of therapy. Biotechnology is a
driving force in the development of a new discipline which will change
conventional medicine and health systems considerably in the near future. RM
is concerned with the development and application of innovative medical
therapies with the aim to fully or partially restore damaged parts of the
human organism and to support the regeneration of damaged organs. In other words: The
goal of Regenerative Medicine is to support and activate the natural healing
resources of the body in order to achieve a full restoration of health by
means of a one-time treatment. One of the specific
topics now close to clinical entry is the regeneration of autologous
bone cells (cells from the patient, who will also get the implant, i.e. donor
and recipient of issue are the same) in bioreactors. Considerable progresses
have been made lately in regenerating bone on the basis of autologous cells. Bioreactors will facilitate and
accelerate the automation and standardisation of growing tissue in vitro. Another
very important aspect of these novel therapies is that autologous
cells are taken from the patient. In this case the danger of repulsion would
be as good as excluded. This means that
immune suppression for most common diseases will become dispensable in the
near future. For many reasons this is of great importance. Because even after
years of research and development immune suppression still have massive side
effects. These side effects that normally come along with numerous physical
and psychical problems would be excluded in Regenerative Medicine.
Furthermore a reduction in research, production, medication and development
of the extremely expensive immune suppressive medicaments would also mean a
massive cost reduction for public health institutions and insurance
companies. In light of the increasingly critical situation of the European
health systems this factor becomes more and more important. Last but not
least adult stem cells, contrary to embryonic stem cells, are ethically
unobjectionable. The combination of
advanced technologies and biomaterials including autologous
stem cell technologies as well as the introduction of these technologies and
therapies to patient organisations combined with the increasing awareness of
the public will open a pathway for clinical applications. Wider perspectives will be opened for patient
communities by training information and specific training measures concerning
aspects coming up from bioreactor developments in the field of cardiovascular
systems, hepatic systems, skin systems, cartilage systems etc.
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© DLO 10/2008