Current Developments and Research in Apheresis

Apheresis technology has significantly enhanced the treatment of many diseases since its inception in the 1960s. Recent advances have enabled modern apheresis systems to provide operators with real-time information on access, flow, anticoagulation, and pressures, among other parameters. This functionality allows for procedure adjustments that optimize safety and efficiency. Despite these advancements, research in apheresis has been somewhat limited, often due to challenges such as the difficulty of recruiting sufficient numbers of patients for studies involving rare diseases or persuading clinicians to enroll their patients in trials where they might be assigned to a control group. These and other obstacles have resulted in largely unsuccessful randomized clinical trials involving apheresis. However, the growing field of cellular therapies presents an opportunity to place apheresis at the forefront and explore how research can enhance the technology’s application, thereby improving the quality of literature supporting its use as an effective therapeutic approach.