Each passing day furnishes new evidence that the coronavirus has not yet fully completed its grim work of increasing the human ranks of the dearly departed. How refreshing then to come upon an article in the June 20-21, 2020 weekend edition of The Wall Street Journal that discusses optimistic views on the topic of transhumanism, the idea of using technology to overcome sickness and aging. Financial support for life-extension research has been provided by well-heeled investors as optimism abounds in some quarters that not only is it possible to live to the ripe age of 500, a time may arrive when individuals in middle age may have a fair chance of never dying. Starting with the premise that transhumanism promises that death can be conquered physically, not just spiritually, it appeared worth an effort to go to the professional literature to assess what progress is being made in achieving such lofty outcomes.
If an article appearing in May 2020 in the journal Clinical and Translational Science can be viewed as a reliably authoritative source for current thinking on such matters, then despite regenerative medicine (RM) being one of the hottest topics in biotechnology for the past three decades, it generally is acknowledged that the field’s performance at the bedside has been somewhat disappointing. RM is seen as having had an undeniable positive influence on the process of bench to bedside research. Preclinically, it has helped identify limitations of evidence‐based medicine and contributed to the paradigm shift to the trial‐and‐error method. If the translation of RM therapies is to be improved, however, many challenges to be overcome lie in the early stages of therapy development, such as identifying mechanism(s) of action, validating preclinical experimental models, and incentivizing translational research for basic scientists. Regulatory changes have been made in later stages, but much still needs to be addressed, such as adoption of clinical trials that are more rigorous and include long‐term follow‐up studies; development of appropriate manufacturing technology; synchronization of regulatory agencies, and a clear plan for reimbursement strategies.
More June 2020 TRENDS Articles
COVID-19 VACCINE CLINICAL TRIAL CONCERNS
Indicates the importance of ensuring that key demographic groups experiencing the ravages of this disease are represented adequately in upcoming stage three clinical trials. Read More
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
ASAHP President Phyllis King discusses leadership during a time of change with a focus on helping academic teams with transition by working with campus administration to clarify the vision and establish structures that support change. Read More
EFFECTIVE CORONAVIRUS MESSAGES FROM ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
Identifies the top five communicators based on frequency and consistency of mention according to an annual Student Sentiment Survey conducted by the firm Eduventures. Read More
CONGRESS IN A TIME OF CORONAVIRUS
Contains some details about an initiative by U.S. senators to increase access to telehealth because of its potential to expand availability of health care, reduce costs, and improve health outcomes. Read More
HEALTH REFORM DEVELOPMENTS
Points out how Medicare is on an unsustainable trajectory and identifies fundamental changes that must be addressed in the federal-state Medicaid program. Read More
DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Describes how doubts and uncertainties are affecting decisions on whether to reopen schools at all academic levels and some thoughts on how to rethink accreditation and quality assurance. Read More
QUICK STAT (SHORT, TIMELY, AND TOPICAL)
Prevalence Of Tooth Loss Among Older Adults, 2015-2018
Opioid-Involved Emergency Department Visits, Hospitalizations, And Deaths
Personalized Mapping Of Drug Metabolism By The Human Gut Microbiome
Magnetoelectric Materials For Miniature, Wireless Neural Stimulation At Therapeutic Frequencies Read More
AVAILABLE RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONICALLY
Advancing Adolescent Flourishing: Moving Policy Upstream
Preparing For The Next Pandemic
New Data On Community Resilience In The Face Of Disasters Read More
NIH FUNDING AND THE PURSUIT OF EDGE SCIENCE
Reveals the degree to which the NIH is successful in funding work with novel ideas, known as “edge science,” and some reasons why support for this endeavor is not as robust as it could be. Read More
TRANSHUMANISM AND THE PROSPECT OF NEVER HAVING TO DIE
Enthusiasm persists in some quarters that human death can be overcome, but at least in the short term, that quest still has a considerable way to go to reach fruition. Read More