The KHL Foundation is a new initiative focused on offering gene therapy to older patients. This programme makes use of medical tourism, where people travel abroad for treatments that are not yet available in their own home country. The foundation thus aims to accelerate access to innovative therapies, especially for people who do not want to wait long for approval within regular medical systems.
Gene therapy uses genetic material to improve cells and combat disease processes. The KHL Foundation focuses on relatively safe and proven methods, such as the use of viral vectors that deliver the gene to a specific location in the body. Treatments using genes such as klotho, follistatin and telomerase are deployed because they have scientifically demonstrated benefits in animal studies regarding ageing.
The provision of gene therapy via medical tourism is growing rapidly, similar to the development of the stem cell industry. A downside is that there is still little transparency regarding the quality of clinics and treatments. Even so, this programme offers an alternative for older people who want faster access to innovative therapies without the long waiting times characteristic of mainstream healthcare.
This initiative demonstrates that the medical world is increasingly open to supporting new possibilities for staying healthy and active while ageing. It also highlights the importance of personal freedom of choice and risk assessment regarding new treatments for older people.
For people who want to age healthily, access to these innovative therapies can be valuable in better managing the ageing process.
Source: Reason
