Closing the Osteoarthritis Treatment Gap - Understanding the Therapeutic Window of Early Interv.

Closing the Osteoarthritis Treatment Gap — a primary care education presentation by Jeffrey B. Brown, M.D., Founder and Medical Director of Joint Pain Solution Center. This clinical education presentation reframes osteoarthritis for the primary care audience — moving beyond the traditional "wear and tear" model to present OA as a biologically active disease driven by inflammation, synovial activation, and progressive joint remodeling. Dr. Brown makes the case for an early therapeutic window, the mild-to-moderate stage when cartilage and joint tissues remain biologically responsive and intervention can most meaningfully alter disease trajectory. Drawing on current literature (Belk 2023, Zhao 2023, the ESSKA Orthobiologics Consensus, and the 2021 AAOS guideline), it examines the rationale for orthobiologics such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), explains why the evidence appears "mixed" through six biologic variables (product identity, dose, threshold, spin protocol, leukocyte content, and patient selection), and positions PRP as an early-intervention option within the continuum of arthritis care rather than a replacement for standard management or surgery. The presentation closes with guidance on identifying ideal referral candidates and the diagnostic and treatment services available to referring providers.