Cellular Horizons Project Report_Musculoskeletal Conditions

Stem cell and other cellular therapies offer enormous hope to patients with a wide range of conditions including arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. 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 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, other 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 (Stage 1) of our research collaboration – Cellular Horizons: Improving decisions about access to stem cell interventions – related specifically to musculoskeletal conditions. 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 osteoarthritis or related musculoskeletal conditions, their carers (n=17), as well as healthcare professionals, researchers and representatives from patient advocacy organisations who support people living with this condition (n=13). The project investigated three key research questions: 1. What are the views and experiences of stakeholders regarding modes of access to cell therapies, and how is information about them communicated? 2. What are the key enablers and/or barriers to translation of cellular therapies from fundamental research to application, and access to them? 3. What practical resources are needed to support those governing, prescribing and communicating about modes of access to cell therapies?