This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Cooperative efforts underway to share knowledge of biologics, advance the field
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
NEW ORLEANS — The next steps for meaningful and continued progress in the introduction of regenerative medicine and biologics for orthopedic conditions should include the dissemination of information and research results, according to orthopedic surgeons here at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.
What is needed in the near future related to biologic solutions to orthopedic problems is “dissemination, education, feedback and, again, kind of tying in with some of the goals of the Biologics Alliance,” Constance R. Chu, MD, said at a media roundtable session.
She said the AAOS Optimizing Clinical Use of Biologics in Orthopaedic Surgery research symposium, which was held Feb. 15-17 in Stanford, California, “provided the impetus” for much of the recent standardization and other efforts the Biologics Alliance will implement to optimize and standardize the use of biologics, such as stem cells and platelet-rich plasma, in orthopedics.
“It’s an evolving process,” Chu said.
Jason L. Dragoo, MD, an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at the Stanford University Medical Center, said, “The goals of this year are standardization of terminology, so the creation of standards along with ASTM, the working body that works with the Academy often times. That is on the direct agenda this year.”
Continued advocacy related to biologics is critical, Dragoo said, “to sort out the definitions with respect to the FDA and the guidance documents because those, at some time, will directly affect the orthopedic surgeons’ ability to use biologics, and now is that discussion time.”
Although it is a slow process to promote the regulation of biologic treatments and funding their development and any new pathways, progress is gradually being made, according to Dragoo.
“What I’m saying is there time to sort this out,” he said, noting the nature of some biologic treatments already being used are misconstrued by clinicians, patients and regulators. Dragoo cited adipose tissue as a source of stem cells as an area that would benefit from better education at the surgeon level.
“There’s a major problem with adipose tissue,” where the wrong understanding and definition of adipose tissue as a source of stem cells is widespread among clinical subspecialties.
“I’m expecting that’s one of the things on the top of the agenda for continued discussion,” Dragoo said. – by Susan M. Rapp
Reference:
Chu CR, et al. Media roundtable: Optimizing clinical use of biologics in orthopaedic surgery: stem cells and platelet-rich plasma. Presented at: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting; March 6-10, 2018; New Orleans.
Disclosure s : Chu reports no relevant financial disclosures. Dragoo reports he is a paid consultant for Beckman Dickenson, Zimmer Biomet, Breg, CONMED Linvatec, DePuy Synthes, DJ Orthopedics, Flexion Therapeutics, Genzyme, Harvest Technologies, Joint Restoration Foundation, KCRN, Moximed, Ossur, Regeneration Technologies Inc., RNL Bio, Sideline Sports Docs LLC; he receives research support from CONMED Linvatec, Ossur, RTI and Zimmer Biomet; he receives other financial or material support from Emcyte, Harvest Technologies and RTI; and he is a paid presenter or speaker for Ossur.