EA Regenerative Medicine Center Of Excellence: Bringing reputable stem cell therapy to our shores

Stem Cell Therapy, which is a part of regenerative medicine in general, is one of the most exciting branches of science. The potential is tremendous as it deals with tissue regeneration and biological healing. A quick look for its definition on the net reveals this from Wikipedia: "Regenerative medicine is a branch of translational research in tissue engineering and molecular biology which deals with the "process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function".

Taken from Wikipedia.org

I'm no medical expert, but common sense dictates that cell therapy could be the future of medicine. Think of it this way. If you watched any of Marvel's X-Men movies, the regenerative powers of the popular comic hero Wolverine is the closest concept you can find on-screen on this. In real life, remember when your friendly, neighborhood household lizard accidentally broke off his tail? And after a few days, you see him again with a brand new, spanking tail? That is in a nutshell what regenerative medicine is all about. In a layman's definition, it is basically the study & science on how to heal or grow back damaged human body parts or tissue.

Stem cell treatment has been controversial as of late because of news about some congressmen dying from it. And generally, the topic is controversial in nature since it deals with altering what nature has naturally given us. In our society, anything that tampers with the natural course of things is almost always a magnet for controversy. The controversy generated is partly due to ignorance on the subject or because society in general is not yet ready to fully comprehend the vast opportunities stem cell therapy can offer.

First regenerative medicine center in the country

I was invited to the 1st anniversary event and presscon of EA Regenerative Medicine Center of Excellence, probably the first clinic of its kind that offers integrated cell therapy treatments in the country, and was impressed with its ultramodern interior and state-of-the-art medical equipment and facilities.

EA's well appointed, stylish & sophisticated lobby

I have never seen a clinic that looked so good and classy. You feel like you're in a five-star hotel lobby! But the husband and wife tandem of Dr. Eder G. Dizon (the managing director of EA) and his amiable wife Dr. Aenelle Dizon, a dermatologist by profession, never showed any high society vibe. They were very gracious with the guests including the media people and bloggers. They were always ready to answer difficult questions about EA's services. The friendly staff, headed by EA's  competent general manager Abigail Biruar, were very helpful and accommodating. Suffice it to say that customer service is topnotch in this area. The partner doctors who presented were experts and known in their respective fields such as Dr. Florencio Lucero, the center's resident plastic surgeon and Dr. Miguel Ramos, the resident internal medicine/geriatric specialist.

Dr. Eder G. Dizon, managing director of EA 
Regenerative Medicine Center of Excellence
with his wife Dr. Aenelle B. Dizon, a 
dermatologist.

To know more about the center and its services, I have published an official literature from them right after the jump:

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EA Regenerative Medicine: A Hope for Alzheimer's, Depression & other brain disorders

Can you relate to these scenarios? When you were still a bubbly kid, you excitedly go to your grandpa to greet him when suddenly he forgets your name or recites all the names of his apos before getting yours right. Or you got the shock of your life when you heard the news about the unexpected suicide of a relative or a friend. You were just talking to her a couple of days ago and she seems to be full of life.

These two scenarios are just some of the most common exposures we've had with brain and psychiatric illnesses. The grandpa most likely has dementia, a symptom of Alzheimer's disease, a condition where the brain gradually loses its memory overtime due to old age or disease. While suicide is an aftermath of a psychiatric illness which many refer to as depression. According to medical studies, everybody goes through some form of depression in their lives. But the most harmful is severe depression which if not diagnosed immediately and properly can lead to suicide. The Philippines' National Statistics Office (NSO) reported that suicide has steadily risen in the past 21 years which gravely shows that psychiatric problems are also on the rise due to society's advancement and the complexities of life that come with it.

The Brainsway Deep Transcranial
Magnetic Stimulation equipment

But there is hope and good news. "These brain and psychiatric disorders can now be treated with the right interventions and medications," says Dr. Eder G. Dizon M.D., Managing Medical director of the newest, high-end, multi-specialty regenerative medicine clinic called EA Regenerative Medicine Center of Excellence during its recent presscon and first year anniversary event. EA is first in South East Asia to offer the most advanced regenerative medical procedures utilizing state-of-the-art processing, delivery, and preservation of medical-grade Adipose-Derived Regenerative Cells (ADRCs) that follows the most stringent clinical protocols, registries and standards of operations. It utilizes Cytori Therapeutics technology, a world renown and reputable cell therapy company, for its cell therapy services.

It recently offered Brainsway DTMS or deep transcranial magnetic stimulation, a recognized, breakthrough treatment for various kinds of serious brain and psychiatricological disorders such as Depression, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Bipolar Disorder, Autism and even addictions such as smoking and drugs.

Driving Forces behind EA Regenerative Medicine Center of Excellence (L-R): Udi Lowy – Manager, Brainsway Asia Inc., Dr. Antonio C. Sison – Psychiatry, Dr. Florencio Q. Lucero - Plastic Surgery/ Fat Stem Cell Surgery, Dr. Aenelle B. Dizon – Dermatology, Dr. Eder G. Dizon – Managing Director of EA, Dr. Kathleen P. Garcia – Anesthesiology, Dr. Pompeyo R. Bautista – Medical Director/ Nephrology, Dr. Ferdinand V. Alzate -  Interventional Cardiology, Dr. Miguel A. Ramos – Internal Medicine/ Geriatrics

"TMS is a deep but non-invasive treatment that was extensively developed in Israel by Brainsway. We brought this technology, probably a first in the country, to help patients who are most likely resistant to traditional forms of medicines or who have tried out every available treatment unsuccessfully," says Dizon.

The Brainsway Deep TMS is a non-invasive treatment which stimulates the brain region responsible for the neurologic or psychiatric symptoms and brings significant improvement to patients. It is an outpatient procedure which does not require hospitalization or anesthesia, and entails no memory loss or systemic side effects.

In each session, the patient is comfortably seated on a chair, and a cushioned helmet is gently placed over the head. The helmet generates brief magnetic fields, similar to those used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. These magnetic fields briefly stimulate the targeted brain area and improve the symptoms. The procedure requires 4-5x/week sessions of 20 minutes each over 4-5 weeks depending on the indication. After each session, patients can return home independently, and follow through their normal daily routine.

The Shockwave Therapy treatment being done to a patient

"Our DTMS treatment is highly regarded and tested by credible and renown medical scientists and institutions such as Harvard University, American National Institutes of Health, John Hopkins University, Columbia University among many others," Dizon proudly states.

The treatment is safely and conveniently conducted by reputable Neurologists and Psychiatrists in EA's well appointed and modern clinic.

Aside from DTMS, the clinic also offers a comprehensive and complete geriatric assessment program specially designed by EA's resident geriatric doctor Miguel A. Ramos. During his presentation, Dr. Ramos says that majority of the country's old people (60 years old and up) die early due to neglect. "People in this age bracket can still have a fulfilling and good quality of life if they just go to a geriatric doctor and be honest about what they are feeling and about their medical history. But majority of them don't because they are afraid of the truth. They don't realize that neglecting their health makes them more prone to diseases which in turn shortens their lifespan," explained Ramos.

EA's extensive geriatric program is holistic in approach and considers every aspect of an elderly's needs. The program conducts nutritional and psychological assessments, functional and physical tests and interventions like stem cell therapy if needed.

The StemSource Cell and Adipose Tissue
Bank cryogenic facility

EA also introduced the Shockwave Therapy. Shockwave is an acoustic wave which carries its high energy to the painful spot and provokes healing and repair processes. It is used to treat tissue, bone and muscle problems and helps regenerate them through a series of controlled applications much like the effect of hand massage.

On top of these services, the center also employs its own world class ambulatory surgical complex and a StemSource Cell and Adipose Tissue Bank cryogenic facility, the first and only one in the country to date. With this facility, patients no longer have to go out of the country to avail of the Cytori Cell Therapy. The clinic allows patients to harvest and immediately benefit from these cells, or they can opt to bank their cells or excess fat tissue for future use.

To know more about the center, visit  www.earegenmed.com , e-mail edergdizon@earegenmed.com, abiebiruar@earegenmed.com, pompeyo_bautista@earegenmed.com or call +63 917 599 9385.

By Paolo Angelo Florenda