Platelet-Rich Plasma Stays Quietly Popular Despite Neglect

Fact: PRP Treatments Are Highly In-Demand

According to research, PRP treatments are one of the most in-demand treatments available in healthcare. This is impressive considering the following challenges PRP faces:

1. Lack of Support from the Medical Industry: PRP is not backed by big pharma, meaning no extensive research or marketing is funded.
2. Absence of Lobbying by Medical Associations: There are no medical associations working to increase awareness of PRP.
3. No Insurance Reimbursements: Insurance companies do not reimburse PRP treatments, making it difficult to get patients to pay for a treatment that is relatively “unproven.”
4. Rising Costs: In 2006, a PRP treatment cost $450. Today, it costs $800, with the cheapest being $650.

Despite these obstacles, the demand for PRP treatments remains robust.

The Future of PRP

We believe the best of PRP is yet to come. A breakthrough study could propel PRP into mainstream hospitals and clinics. The most significant growth in PRP is currently happening in Asia, rooted in fundamental healing theory.

The Healing Power of PRP

The growth of PRP can be attributed to its fundamental healing properties:

• Increased Platelets: More platelets mean more growth factors and cytokines, leading to enhanced healing.
• Natural Healing Mechanism: Our body’s natural healing mechanism operates with 150,000/ul-350,000/ul platelets in blood. Using PRP amplifies this number by 3X to 5X, translating to better healing.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Trends

PRP can be used to promote the healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints, and is applied to various musculoskeletal problems. Regular studies test its effectiveness. One landmark study involved double-blind randomized controlled trials to see the effect of PRP on patients with chronic low back pain caused by torn discs. The study found that 60% of the patients felt significant improvements, with some even being cured.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Variants

There are several types of PRP variants:

1. Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF)
2. Plasma Rich in Platelets and Growth Factors (PRPGF)
3. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
4. Platelet Poor Plasma (PPP)
5. Plasma Rich in Platelets and Rich in Leukocytes (LR-PRP)
6. Plasma Rich in Platelets and Poor in Leukocytes (LP-PRP)
7. Platelet-Rich Fibrin Matrix (PRFM)

All of them involve plasmapheresis—the two-stage centrifugation process to separate platelets from blood. The industry has yet to standardize which variant to use, but we believe the confusion will clear up in 3-5 years.

Bio-Factors at Play in PRP

Regardless of the PRP variant used, the following bio-factors are at play:

• Growth Factors: TGF-B, PDGF, IGF-I,II, FGF, EGF, VEGF, ECGF
• Adhesive Proteins: Fibrinogen, Fibronectin, Vitronectin, Thrombospondin-1
• Clotting & Anti-Clotting Factors: Proteins, Antithrombin, Plasminogen, Proteases, Antiproteases

How Platelet-Rich Plasma Actually Works

PRP is commonly used for wound healing and pain management because platelets aid coagulation, act as a biological glue, and support stem or primary cell migration. They also help restore hyaluronic acid, accelerate collagen synthesis, and increase cartilage matrix.

Platelets delivered in a clot can immediately act as a scaffold to enable the healing process. 95% of bio-active proteins are released within 1 hour of injecting PRP, and platelets continue to release growth factors for 7-10 days. Thus, it’s recommended to re-inject PRP every 7 days.

Why Patients Choose PRP Despite the Cost

Patients are willing to pay out of pocket for PRP treatments despite insurance companies not covering it because:

1. Effectiveness: The treatment works.
2. Natural and Side-Effect-Free: There is nothing else as natural and side-effect-free as PRP.

PRP for Osteoarthritis

Consider osteoarthritis, which affects 27 million Americans. When doctors started doing PRP treatments for their osteoarthritis patients, a large majority experienced no further cartilage loss. This suggests PRP should be the default first-line treatment for osteoarthritis across the country.

PRP for Hair Loss and Cosmetic Applications

PRP also has significant potential in treating hair loss and cosmetic facial applications. Studies have shown reduced hair loss and increased hair density, with patients expressing high satisfaction levels.

The Growing PRP Market

The PRP market is expected to hit $126 million in 2016, a 180% increase over the 2009 figure of $45 million. For osteoarthritis alone, if all 27 million Americans received 1 PRP shot a year at a conservative $400 per treatment, it would be a $10 billion market.

PRP for Tennis Elbow

PRP is also known to work well for Tennis Elbow, which affects 1% to 3% of the overall population and up to 50% of tennis players.

Insurance Coverage for PRP

Getting PRP covered by insurance could significantly expand the market and help heal millions of patients more naturally and effectively. It could also save insurance companies money by reducing the need for more expensive interventions like surgery.

Challenges and the Future of PRP

The vast scope of PRP treatment calls for urgent structure and guidelines. There are some 20+ conditions where researchers have found it helpful. Proving its efficiency in all these areas is a daunting task, but we will get there with enough funding and standardized procedures.

Conclusion

Despite being classified as “unproven,” PRP has vast potential. With the right number of platelets, platelet activation, and cytokine release, PRP can consistently deliver positive outcomes. Although there is still uncertainty over the number of injections, timing, and delivery method, widespread adoption will eventually lead to a more structured approach.

Let’s hope the first glimpses of this structure will arrive soon. In 2015, the world saw approximately 1 million knee arthroplasties for osteoarthritis, costing $25 billion. How many of these patients could have benefited from PRP early on?