May 16 2008 / by futuretalk
Category: Health & Medicine Year: General Rating: 8 Hot
By Dick Pelletier
A recent government report, 2020: A New Vision –
A Future for Regenerative Medicine, predicts a revolution in
medical technology is underway that could eliminate most diseases
in the future. 
Scientists in this revolution are focusing on actually curing
health problems, not just treating them. Their goals include
developing therapies to completely eradicate diseases like cancer,
diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, osteoporosis, arthritis, and
spinal cord injuries. Virtually any disease that results from
damaged or failing tissues can be targeted for elimination with
regenerative medicine.
Derived from biology, biochemistry, physics, engineering, and
other fields, this medical revolution will utilize stem cell
therapies, genetic engineering, and nanotech to repair tissues and
organs inside the body, and build new body parts in the lab when
necessary. Given cohesive government initiative and adequate
funding, the report states that progress could be realized in the
following timeline:
2010-2015 – Develop multiple applications for skin, cartilage,
bone, blood vessel, and some urological products; enable insurance
companies to cover these procedures; establish FDA standards for newly-developing technologies; make
available cell banks for unlimited tissue storage; and allow
researchers access to materials they need to design new therapies
and create cost-effective production methods. (cont.)
2015-2020 – Further understand stem cell biology and genetic
variations; build ‘smart’ degradable cellular scaffolding; produce
tissues with their own complete vascular circulation; develop
complex patches to repair hearts and other organs; reengineer genes
to copy the way salamanders restore lost limbs and apply this
technology to human amputees.
2020-2025 – Replace body parts damaged from disease or aging
with new ‘youthful’ ones including tissues and organs such as
entire hearts, lungs, bones, and muscle structures; create
nanodevices that can enter into cells and remove pathogens and
toxins and repair faulty DNA throughout
the body.
Institute for Molecular
Manufacturing Robert Freitas believes that although we’re still
a long way from having complete designs for many of these new
procedures, they all appear possible and could be developed on the
aggressive schedule noted above.
Beyond obvious health benefits, this medical revolution will
also combat rising U.S. healthcare costs, which currently exceed $2
trillion annually; much of which stems from recurring treatments
for diseases arising from tissue failure, common among the elderly.
With replaceable healthy tissues and organs readily available,
doctors will save millions from suffering, illness, and death.
But some predict a problem with so many people recapturing their
health and living longer. The Congressional Budget Office estimates
that federal spending for Social Security and Medicare will double
by 2030, but fewer younger Americans will be around to foot the
bill.
However, forward thinkers see a different future: as older
people opt for “rejuvenation,” their bodies will become stronger;
they will remain in good health longer, and will require less need
for financial support.
In fact, by late 2020s, octogenarians; even centenarians,
instead of living life in a feeble decrepit state, will find
themselves enjoying life in a strong body resembling a much younger
person. Experts predict that many “rejuvenated” seniors will become
bored with retirement, and will find excitement by embarking on a
new career.
Regenerative medicine offers the potential to bridge most people
alive today into what positive futurists describe as an amazing
“magical future.”
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