Ground Breaking Research Project Investigating the Use of Stem Cells for Osteoarthritis
First of Its Kind in Canada
"This is a potential game changer in the management of osteoarthritis. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if those suffering with osteoarthritis could move again with less pain and better mobility?"
- Dr. Grant Pagdin
Dr. Pagdin displaying approval letter from Health Canada
Osteoarthritis is a very common cause of pain and disability affecting nearly 5 million Canadians. Options for treatment are quite limited: physiotherapy, pain medications, and cortisone injections are the mainstay treatment options; joint replacement surgery is reserved for severe stages of this disease.
In recent years much research has been focused on strategies for reversing osteoarthritis by trying to regenerate or repair cartilage. There is emerging evidence that mesenchymal stem cells derived either from fat or from bone marrow have the potential to improve the pain and function of an osteoarthritic joint. Although these stem cells do have the potential to transform into cartilage cells, it is now believed that their principal role is to provide powerful signals that reduce inflammation and attract other cells to help heal damaged tissue. These types of biologic injections are experimental, which is why Health Canada insists that investigators in this field follow an approved clinical trial protocol, tracking outcomes for both safety and effectiveness.
Dr. Grant Pagdin has been one of the leaders in regenerative medicine in Canada, and received approval from Health Canada in January 2020 to launch a clinical trial using cells derived from a person’s own fat or bone marrow injected into one or two of their major joints for osteoarthritis.
Dr. Pagdin has a fellowship in Family Medicine as well as a fellowship in Stem Cell Medicine. He is a fellow of the Interventional Orthobiologic Foundation, and was recently selected to an expert panel developing guidelines for the responsible use of bone marrow in orthopedics. To date he has injected well over 2000 joints with biologic materials including platelet-rich plasma (PRP), lipoaspirate (fat) and bone marrow aspirate. Dr. Pagdin assists in the operating rooms at Kelowna General Hospital and is a clinical instructor at The University of British Columbia medical school.