We hear a lot about regenerative medicine, but we never hear much about how it's really being used today. The possibilities for the future are endless, but I'd like to know what's being done in hospitals right now that's changing people's lives — and how does it work? If we were able to regrow limbs, how long would it take? What would that look like? Would patients have to live in some kind of incubator until the limb is fully grown? What are the psychological implications of this kind of therapy on patients? So many questions, so few answers. Looking forward to cafe scientifique!
Regenerative medicine is not something I can really get into or understand.
Prevention is one thing and treatment on a conventional basis is another. But what about the often neglected portion of the institution of medicine, which would be the 'acceptance' of medical problems that would hinder one's life and even end it.
This of course is a loaded statement because conventional medicine is a balance between acceptance and how much we, as a society, are willing to strive to 'fix' our bodily problems.
I believe that regenerative medicine will go too far; that our concepts of prevention and acceptance will be eroded further, and in that, we'll loose a portion of what makes us human.
Regenerative medicine holds significant promise for the future sustainability of Canadian medicare. As long as people are dying while waiting on a list for an organ transplant, any action to increase the number of organs available (either via donors or technology) is a positive.
Those that oppose regenerative medicine are generally blind to its benefits and often tend to be fear mongers who've seen too many sci-fi movies.
Government regulation can effectively control the scope, extensity and intensity of regenerative medicine based on societal objectives and ethical considerations.
It's time for the Luddites to once again take a back seat...
Science is morally neutral; & it is always good to have more reliable information. However, the application of resources to science, & the implementation of new technologies has to be determined in the context of other needs.
I have spent my working life as a family doctor, & there is certainly a need to improve clinical care of the individual patient in Canada,- especially at this time.But "regenerative medicine" is not a top priority. In any case this need is dwarfed by the other larger threats at the population scale. Environmental degradation, manifested by pollution & global warming is appropriately receiving a great deal of attention. This itself is largely driven by increasing global consumerism.
However, underlying everything else & crucially important is the problem of the escalating increase in population.
Ironically, this could be solved in one generation if we could only find an acceptable means. It should be possible for human ingenuity to control the powerful "selfish gene".
I believe that all our resources should be directed towards this in the hope that we can come up with a plan for a sustainable future for the human race. Once this has been done we can then decide whether to turn our attention to "regenerative medicine".
"Three arms, two heads, and one big ego"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/hitchhikers/guide/zaphod.shtml
Regenerative medicine - something to look forward to..............
