HARD SCIENCE BEHIND PRP CRAZE? (Orthopedics This Week)
A team of researchers from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, wanted to see what hard science may exist behind the platelet rich plasma (PRP) craze.
Their work, “Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Chondrogenic Differentiation of Adipose- and Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells,” appears in the July 23, 2018 edition of Tissue Engineering Part A.
Rocky Tuan, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and director of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, explained to OTW, “In recent years, there have been many highly publicized instances where injured athletes receiving autologous PRP returned rapidly to game-winning form, causing an exponential rise in the use of biologics to treat orthopedic problems.”
“Among these, the use of PRP is considered a ‘minimally manipulated’ autologous therapy, marketed through the Public Health Service Act Section 361 pathway, which does not require pre-market approval/clearance from the FDA.”
“Clinical use of these biologics has greatly outpaced evidence-based research. This work is our effort in gaining scientific insight into the possible biological activity of PRP, ...
