Patient Education
What every patient should know before getting stem cell injections.
The Basics
Stem cells are the body's raw materials — cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. In a fetus, stem cells divide to form more cells called daughter cells, which either become new stem cells or specialized cells with a more specific function, such as blood, brain, bone, or heart muscle cells.
However, the science of stem cell therapy — the clinical trials that evaluate safety, efficacy, and dosage of new drugs, devices, or procedures, ranging from small pilot studies to large-scale, randomized trials — are in early stages. None of these studies so far have shown efficacy and therefore, there is no stem cell product that is FDA approved for any disease except for blood cancers (leukemia/lymphoma).
Moreover, all studies of products distributed by rogue non-FDA laboratories have failed to show any live, viable stem cells. In essence, you are not getting stem cells — and even if you were, they won't help you.
Types of Stem Cells
Derived from human embryos, these are pluripotent — capable of developing into almost any cell type in the body. Their use is subject to significant ethical and regulatory scrutiny.
Found in small numbers in most adult tissues. They are more limited in the types of cells they can become. Bone marrow transplants use adult stem cells and are among the few FDA-approved stem cell therapies.
Adult cells that have been reprogrammed back to a stem cell-like state. A promising area of research, but not yet approved for widespread clinical use.
Common Procedures
Stem cells administered intravenously, often marketed for anti-aging, autoimmune, or neurological conditions. Rarely FDA-approved for these uses.
Injections into knees, hips, or shoulders marketed to treat arthritis or sports injuries. Effectiveness is largely unproven outside of clinical trials.
Marketed for spinal cord injuries or back pain. Extremely high-risk procedure when performed outside of approved clinical settings.
Injections into the eye marketed for macular degeneration or vision loss. Several patients have been permanently blinded by unapproved procedures.
One of the few FDA-approved stem cell therapies, used to treat certain blood cancers and disorders. Performed in licensed medical centers.
Stem cell facials, hair restoration, and anti-aging infusions are widely marketed but have no FDA approval and carry real risks of harm.
Know the Difference
The FDA regulates stem cell therapies as biological products. Very few stem cell treatments have received FDA approval. Most clinics offering stem cell therapies are operating outside of FDA oversight — putting patients at serious risk.
Patient Safety
Patients who receive unapproved stem cell treatments face serious and potentially life-altering risks. These are not hypothetical — injuries have been documented across the country.
Contaminated biological material injected into the body can cause serious infections, including life-threatening sepsis. This is one of the most common documented injuries in stem cell lawsuits.
Uncontrolled cell growth following stem cell injections has caused tumors to form in patients, sometimes in the brain or spinal cord, with devastating consequences.
Several patients who received stem cell injections in their eyes have suffered permanent vision loss or total blindness as a result of the procedure.
Spinal stem cell injections have caused paralysis in patients, leaving them permanently disabled after seeking treatment that was falsely promised to help them.
The body may reject foreign stem cells, triggering dangerous immune responses including graft-versus-host disease, which can affect the skin, liver, and digestive system.
Patients often pay tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket for treatments that provide no benefit. Even without physical injury, this financial harm may be grounds for legal recovery.
Protect Yourself
Not every stem cell clinic operates ethically. Here are the red flags that should prompt serious caution — and possibly a call to an attorney.
Legitimate medicine does not offer one treatment as a cure-all. If a clinic claims stem cells can treat cancer, autism, Parkinson's, and arthritis all at once, that is a serious red flag.
Reputable providers are transparent about regulatory status. If a clinic avoids discussing FDA approval or offers treatments outside of a registered clinical trial, be very cautious.
Fraudulent clinics often push patients to commit quickly and pay large sums upfront — sometimes tens of thousands of dollars — before fully explaining the risks.
Patient success stories are not a substitute for peer-reviewed research. If a clinic relies primarily on testimonials to market its treatments, that is a warning sign.
You have the right to know exactly what will be injected into your body, where it comes from, and what the risks are. Evasiveness about these details is a major red flag.
Chiropractors, naturopaths, and other non-specialist providers offering stem cell injections may be operating well outside their scope of practice and applicable regulations.
You may be entitled to significant compensation. Our consultation is free, confidential, and comes with no obligation.
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