Mp47-06 Reviewing the Canadian Landscape of Restorative Therapies for Erectile Dysfunction

You have accessJournal of UrologySexual Function/Dysfunction: Medical, Hormonal & Non-surgical Therapy I (MP47) 1 May 2024MP47-06 REVIEWING THE CANADIAN LANDSCAPE OF RESTORATIVE THERAPIES FOR ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION Jainik Shah, Maximilian Fidel, Dhiraj S. Bal, Connor Roque, Yool Ko, and Premal Patel Jainik ShahJainik Shah, Maximilian FidelMaximilian Fidel, Dhiraj S. BalDhiraj S. Bal, Connor RoqueConnor Roque, Yool KoYool Ko, and Premal PatelPremal Patel View All Author Informationhttps: //doi. org/10. 1097/01. JU. 0001008880. 11564. 10. 06AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection that is sufficient for sexual performance. Restorative therapies (RT (s) ) such as shockwave therapy (Li-SWT) and platelet rich plasma (PRP) shots are heralded as options to restore one's natural, spontaneous erection without the need for pharmacologic therapy. However, limited data exists to support their routine clinical use. With direct-to-consumer marketing, numerous clinics across Canada now offer this therapy. We sought to investigate the landscape of RTs for ED across Canada. METHODS: Searches were made online to browse for clinics which were offering Li-SWT and PRP as a RT for ED. Clinics advertising their services online had their public website analysed for preliminary data collection. These clinics were then contacted to capture data on treatment cost, protocol, clinic ownership, training of providers, reported success rates, and administration of adjuvant therapies. Data obtained was then compared against existing literature to assess the accuracy of marketing towards patients. RESULTS: 107 clinics were found offering either Li-SWT or PRP as a restorative therapy, of these, 12 clinics were eliminated without further analysis. To date, data has been obtained for 95 clinics which provided a form of RT. We were able to obtain responses from 68 of these clinics. 53 clinics provided Li-SWT, and 36 clinics provided PRP, 21 clinics provided both forms of treatment. Out of these clinics, 40 clinics provided transparent cost and treatment protocols for Li-SWT, and 30 clinics provided data for PRP. The average cost of 6 sessions of Li-SWT was 2156. 67 CAD (700 - 4000), and for 1 shot of PRP was 1477. 61 CAD (500 - 3000). 61 clinics provided us with data on their ownership, 39 clinics had a physician on site, 26 of these being family medicine trained. 7 clinics did not report any staff credentials, and 17 were of other healthcare modalities, with 5 being listed simply as 'trained providers'. Only 10 clinics provided success rates resulting in an average of 87. 3%, with one clinic quoting a success rate of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has so far found that Li-SWT and PRP for RTs are being largely marketed directly-to-consumer with very little urologic intervention prior to treatment throughout Canada, if any at all. The study highlights similar trends found in the USA, taking advantage of the psychosocial burden faced by patients that suffer from ED, tacking on substantial financial costs with marketing practises that are not transparent about the limitations of these RT modalities. Source of Funding: N/A © 2024 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 211Issue 5SMay 2024Page: e764 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2024 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Metrics Author Information Jainik Shah More articles by this author Maximilian Fidel More articles by this author Dhiraj S. Bal More articles by this author Connor Roque More articles by this author Yool Ko More articles by this author Premal Patel More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading. . .