Stem Cell Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disorders : What is the Recommendation?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a biologically-based neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in two major domains of development: social communication and social interaction, and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. The severity of symptoms and impairments becomes evident when social demands exceed limited capacities. Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in media attention, industrial growth, and patient interest in stem cell-based interventions. There is a rise in direct-to-consumer businesses offering stem cell “therapies” for various indications, despite a lack of evidence regarding their safety and efficacy. According to current regulatory guidelines, stem cell treatments, except for approved blood disorders such as hematopoietic disorders, are considered investigational and require approvals from the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization. Thus, using them outside the scope of clinical trials is not permissible. Some centers claim that “stem cell therapy” can “cure” and “treat” autism and promote and recommend its use. However, apart from causing financial strain, this procedure carries a high opportunity cost as it diverts valuable time and resources that could be better invested in evidence-based therapies for autism. Currently, the scientific evidence supporting the use of stem cells for treating ASD is limited. Therefore, it is insufficient to recommend their use in clinical practice. Future efforts should focus on developing standardized methods that generate robust data before considering their application in clinical settings.