Date:15/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/15/stories/2008111560881200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

“Stem cell research should focus on healthcare at affordable price”

Special Correspondent

— Photo: R. Ragu

ATTEMPT AT SYNERGY: A. Sivathanu Pillai, Chief Controller, R&D, Defence Research and Development Organisation (centre), flanked by Idi Chandy, Dean, IIT-M (left), and J.S. Rajkumar, chairman, Lifeline Hospitals, at the inauguration of the first international stem cell summit on Friday.

CHENNAI: The ultimate vision for stem cell research should be focussed on quality healthcare for all at affordable price, said A. Sivathanu Pillai, Chief Controller, R&D, Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Inaugurating the first international stem cell summit at IIT-Madras here on Friday, Dr. Pillai called for synergy between the government, pharma industries, hospitals, institutions and the academia to help take the benefits of stem cell research to society. World class research institutions with scientific manpower for curing dreaded diseases in early stages along with the support of the pharma industry would ensure that quality healthcare reaches the masses, he said.

Worldwide the market for regenerative medicine and technologies will be $20 million in 2010 and is expected to be around $500 million by 2050. Though the country’s spending on research was a tenth of what was being spent by developed nations the output was on a par with those countries, he said.

Various government institutions besides the Departments of Biotechnology, Science and Technology, and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research are also involved in the research. Currently in India, over 30 institutions were working on stem cell therapy and the Indian government had in the last three years invested $8 million on research activities in this field.

Dr. Pillai cited application of the technology on patients in a few hospitals across the country and explained how research was being undertaken in treating dreaded diseases such as cancer and diabetes and in the field of neurology and cardiology.

The two-day summit will have presentation on the application of stem cell therapy and research in various medical specialities. An exhibition on the evolution of stem cell therapy has also been organised.