Untested, unproven, and unethical: the promotion and provision of autologous stem cell therapies in Australia

Abstract

An increasing number of private clinics in Australia are marketing and providing autologous stem cell therapies t patients. Although advocates point to the importance of medical innovation and the primacy of patient choice these arguments are unconvincing. First, it is a stark truth that these clinics are flourishing while the efficacy an safety of autologous stem cell therapies, outside of established indications for hematopioetic stem cell transplantation are yet to be shown. Second, few of these therapies are offered within clinical trials. Third, patients with chroni and debilitating illnesses, who are often the ones who take up these therapies, incur significant financial burden in the expectation of benefiting from these treatments. Finally, the provision of these stem cell therapies does no follow the established pathways for legitimate medical advancement. We argue that greater regulatory oversigh and professional action are necessary to protect vulnerable patients and that at this time the provision o unproven stem cell therapies outside of clinical trials is unethical. © 2015 McLean et al.