Hopes are high for ‘future medicine’ in Bahrain
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
The Arabian Gulf University (AGU) has begun to take steps that make it a regional expertise home of stem cell therapy. Treatment using stem cells will be one of the most important services that King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Medical City will provide when this service is officially launched.
The university is now establishing an advanced stem cell centre, to be one of the vital centres of the medical city. This was preceded by the university’s inauguration of the master of regenerative medicine programme in 2019 to become the first academic programme that introduces this innovative specialisation at the Arab and regional universities.
Dr Safouq Al Shammari, associate professor in the regenerative medicine programme at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU), said that it is an advanced and wonderful step by the Shura Council to submit a draft law on stem cell therapy to the government, due to the importance of organising it for medical advancement in Bahrain and the region.
He explained that stem cell medicine is called “future medicine” because it often treats the origin of the disease by replacing the affected or diseased cells with other healthy cells.
Dr Al Shammari said that stem cells are the original cells of the body and they have the ability to transform or specialise into different types of cells and tissues and treat them.
They also have the ability to reproduce to treat many chronic diseases and that was difficult to treat previously. Stem cell medicine and regenerative medicine will be an essential factor in controlling many health problems in Gulf societies in the future, such as diabetes, joints, cancer, vision diseases, heart diseases and nerves.
He stated that the regenerative medicine programme is divided into two main parts, stem cells and anti-ageing medicine, as it is the first program in the middle east region in which the academic staff and professors are from more than 10 developed countries.
An advanced centre for regenerative medicine established according to the latest international specifications, during the next short period the installation and commissioning of equipment, ultra-clean and sterilized rooms in which tissues produced will be completed, in cooperation with international universities.
Dr Khalid bin Abdulrahman Al Ohali, president of AGU, had earlier praised the step taken by the Shura Council of Bahrain, to regulate the legislative framework for regenerative medicine, which leads to further progress in medical and research services in the Kingdom and reduces dependence on outside medical services.
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