For the first time in Armenia, two innovative solutions in the fields of oncology and rehabilitative medicine were presented to health care specialists: Photobiomodulation rehabilitative treatment equipment and the TeleMed digital application, which makes it possible to receive an independent second medical opinion from oncologists at leading foreign hospitals.
The event was organized on the initiative of “Med Care Armenia” with the aim of making the innovative solutions available to Armenia’s health care system. Armenian oncologists, chemotherapy specialists and health care representatives attended the meeting.
Presenting the TeleMed digital application, Dr. Hampig Rafael Gurien said that it is intended for receiving a second professional opinion not only in oncological but also in complex medical cases.
“The novelty of this application is that a second opinion can be obtained not only for oncological but also for complex medical cases. If, for example, a patient wishes to receive the opinion of a specialist at a leading center in America or Europe, he can do so online. The patient or the doctor uploads all the necessary information about the patient into the system: examination results, documents and medical data. After that the specialists present their opinion and possible treatment options,” he said.
According to the specialist, the platform’s professional network includes specialists from different countries, including France, Belgium, Switzerland and the United States.
During the meeting the Photobiomodulation treatment was also presented, which, according to specialists, can be applied with the aim of reducing side effects and toxicity caused by oncological treatment.
Dr. Fouad Gerpaj noted that Photobiomodulation is being presented in Armenia for the first time and is an innovative technology applied in medicine.
“This is an innovative formulation that prevents and treats side effects caused by cancer treatment, in the case of radiation therapy, chemical and immune therapy,” he said.
According to Gerpaj, Photobiomodulation is also applied in other fields of medicine, including women’s diseases, osteology and dentistry. He stressed that one of the features of the treatment is the absence of side effects. It is carried out by means of red and infrared light, directed at the affected area.
According to the specialist, one session usually lasts 5-15 seconds, depending on the degree of toxicity. On average it is carried out three times a week, over the course of 4-6 weeks.
He added that the results of various studies show the effectiveness of Photobiomodulation in reducing toxicity and side effects, pain management, wound healing and anti-inflammatory effect. According to him, about 60 percent improvement in the mentioned directions has been recorded in the studies.
“When we reduce toxicity and side effects, we give the patient the opportunity to go through all the stages of treatment. Because in the case of side effects they sometimes reduce the dosage or stop the treatment, while in this case it is possible to continue the necessary treatment in full,” the doctor stressed.
