The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

DOCTORS Hospital Health System (DHHS) “is ready to move” on stem cell treatment as soon as the Government passes the necessary regulations, its president yesterday saying it would be part of its medical tourism programme.

“We are very anxious to hear what happens with the stem cell regulations. If they finish that, that’s another programme we want to start. We have got some spine surgeons interested, and also a diabetes program using stem cell, very exciting stuff,” said Barry Rassin.

“We would be ready to go right away. We just need the regulations so we know how to get the process going. I’m awaiting the draft of the legislation. There will be an approvals process, which is a good thing, but unfortunately, that also means bureaucracy. I’m hoping that the approvals process doesn’t take too long to get things done.”

Mr Rassin added: “In the US they can use stem cells now without expanding the cell. Even just using those stem cells, they’re seeing progress.

“For instance, the disc in a spine will actually grow just using those stem cells. Once we can use the expanded cells, that will just speed that up and make that a much better product. That’s an exciting part of health care for the future. Ten years from now, everyone is going to be talking about how stem cells made a difference in their life.”

Mr Rassin said the medical tourism programme had not moved as quickly as he would have liked, due to the lack of necessary approvals.

“Once we can get the approvals process down we can see that growth as well. There is no question that North America is going to want to travel to get stem cell treatment,” said Mr Rassin.

With regards to the Bahamas Medical Centre which opened last October following a $1.8 million investment, Mr Rassin said: “Things are going well. We have our new foot and ankle institute that’s moved in, so that’s a whole new programme for us.

“We also have a series of wellness programmes. With one of them we’re working with corporate Bahamas, where we have a special software programme that we can evaluate the health status of employees, so that the employer can measure how they are doing. The idea is that over time we can help them get healthym so that their claims go down and then their health premiums go down.”

Mr Rassin added: “We also have a programme called weight loss solutions. We’re about to launch that. We’ll probably hit the radio waves by September. With that we’re putting a whole team together that you might need to help you to lose weight and get healthy. That’s an exciting programme.”