Cellular Horizons Project Report_Multiple Sclerosis

Stem cell and other cellular therapies offer enormous hope to patients with a wide range of conditions including Multiple Sclerosis (MS). While many possible cell-based therapies are being investigated in clinical trials, or still being developed in lab-based research, other promoted cell-based therapies are already commercially available to patients despite the lack of full regulatory review and approval. This complexity makes it challenging for patients to decide what treatments they can access and when. It also places clinicians, healthcare professionals and patient advocacy organisations in a challenging position regarding how to advise their patients on what interventions to consider. This report provides a high-level overview of our findings from the qualitative component of our research collaboration – Cellular Horizons: Improving decisions about access to stem cell interventions – related specifically to multiple sclerosis. Additional information on Cellular Horizons and our research team is available on our website: https://www.monash.edu/arts/social-sciences/cellular-horizons. In this phase of the study, we sought to capture the views and expectations of people living with/caring for those with multiple sclerosis (n=20), as well as healthcare professionals, researchers and representatives from patient advocacy organisations who support people living with/caring for this condition (n=15). We were particularly interested in capturing views and expectations regarding the modes of access to cell therapies, how information about them is communicated and decision making of both professionals and people living with particular conditions. The project investigated three key research questions: What are the views and experiences of stakeholders regarding modes of access to cell therapies, and how information about them is communicated? What are the key enablers and/or barriers to translation of cellular therapies from fundamental research to application, and access to them? What practical resources are needed to support those governing, prescribing and communicating about modes of access to cell therapies?