Media release
From: Australian Science Media Centre*Recording now available - see link below*
Australia has the potential to become a world leader in stem cell research but public awareness about rogue therapists offering risky stem cell procedures remains limited, warns a new report. The Stem Cell Revolution: Lessons and Imperatives for Australia report, to be released by the Australian Academy of Science on Monday, says a medical revolution is coming soon but only if the industry is supported.
Among the report's recommendations are calls for an increase in clinical trials to prove the effectiveness of new techniques, a national centre to translate research findings into real-world treatments faster, and the introduction of stem cell banks. The report also raises concerns about the rise of stem cell tourism, and has called for sanctions against the more than 60 practitioners currently offering unproven therapiesfor everything from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease, to be enforced.
Join us for this online media briefing where some of Australia's top stem cell experts will run through the report's findings.
The briefing will discuss the following issues:
- Overview of the report and its key recommendations
- Regulating the industry and the importance of increased clinical trials in Australia
- The future of stem cell research in Australia
- What’s it like to be on the receiving end of ads for unproven treatments
Speakers:
- Professor Richard Harvey is Deputy Director and Head of the Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division at Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, NSW
- Professor John Rasko is Head of Department, Cell & Molecular Therapies at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney and spokesperson for the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science
- Dr Kathryn Davidson is a Research Fellow at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute at Monash University, Victoria
- Dr Mel Thomson is a researcher in infectious diseases in the School of Medicine at Deakin University, Victoria. Mel was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2015 and has a son with high functioning autism, leading her to ‘speak out’ on non-evidence based stem cell treatments for these conditions
Date: Friday 18 March 2016
Start Time: 12:30pm AEDT
Duration: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Venue: Online