How to read the evidence for stem-cell therapies

What patients should know

Does the evidence support the specific therapy being offered for your condition? This is a central question for any treatment decision.

The answer isn't simply:

“Stem cells work.”

Nor is it:

“Stem cells don't work.”

Different cell types, diseases, delivery methods and protocols need to be evaluated individually.

There are established uses of blood-forming stem cells in medicine, while many other proposed applications remain investigational or unproven.

Research continues in areas including neurological disease, metabolic disease, inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, orthopedic disease and tissue repair.

The existence of a published study does not by itself establish that a therapy is safe and effective.

Patients should consider:

What kind of study was performed?

A laboratory experiment, animal study, observational report and randomized controlled human clinical trial provide very different levels of evidence.

How many patients were studied?

Was there a control group?

Was the research independently reviewed and published?

Have other researchers reproduced the findings?

How long were patients followed?

Were adverse events reported?

Does the research actually involve the same cells, dose, delivery method and condition being proposed to you?

These questions are more meaningful than testimonials or statements that a treatment is “cutting edge.”