Australian scientists call unregulated stem cell treatments risky

Leading Australian scientists have strongly criticized the growing trend among Australian sportsmen and women to use stem cell therapies to help repair cartilage and tendon injuries.

In an interview on Monday with Xinhua, Professor Martin Pera, Chair of Stem Cell Sciences at the University of Melbourne, said stem cell regeneration -- of the sort reportedly used by Australian football star Adam Goodes -- was risky, widely untested and had no confirmed medical benefits.

News Corporation reported on Monday that Goodes, and a number of other unnamed Australian footballers had begun experimenting with stem cell treatments, but Pera was critical of club doctors allowing the players to subject themselves to such risky procedures.

He said that not a lot of information is available about the use of stem cell treatments and that while they are not currently illegal, the practice should be more tightly regulated by medical and governing bodies.

"Much of this activity goes on outside of any regulatory context, but there have been several clinics offering these treatments to athletes in Australia and elsewhere," Pera said on Monday.

"There have been some limited clinical trial on the use of stem cells on orthopedic injuries, but not too many and they're pretty much equivocal so far."

"This is a problem in Australia and it will continue to grow unless the regulations change."

The treatments are not regulated in Australia, and Pera said that a lack of information about the long-term effects of stem cell treatments, combined with a sketchy understanding of the short term benefits meant the treatments, which cost upwards of 10, 000 U.S dollars, might not be safe.

"There is that possibility (of long-term effects). From what we know of the limited proper trial data that is out there, these types of treatments could be associated with rare, adverse effects that generally over the short term are innocuous."

Pera said that claims made by sports doctors that the procedures lengthened the career of Australian footballer Adam Goodes were baseless, and that the money some athletes and private patients were paying for the procedures was a waste of money.

"We don't know if just injecting a saline solution would have had the same, beneficial effect, and in fact there is some basis that it could happen," he said.

"It might be possible that some of these treatments have benefits, but to make a statement that (players careers are being extended) is simply patient testimony...", and "Reports from one patient or superstar aren't meaningful."

"I think if there is a beneficial effect, it would be a modest one."

Many other countries have enforced tougher restrictions on the use of autologous therapies, but Australia has opted to keep the practices unregulated.

Pera said that Australia could see an influx of "medical tourists", including overseas sporting stars, who are keen to undergo the risky procedures to fast-track recovery in their chosen sporting field.

"We are in a position where we may become a destination for stem cell tourism. Other countries are looking at (stem cell treatments) very hard and tightening up the regulation," he said.

"This is a big controversy all around the world. I would say most jurisdictions have tougher regulations than Australia."

"We've seen the number of clinics offering these stem cell treatments increasing, so there's a business model there."

Pera said that tighter control over the use of stem cell therapies was needed, and that on the back of recommendations from medical and scientific professionals, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) had agreed to conduct a formal review on autologous stem cell therapies, which they currently do not regulate.

"In response to the concerns from the scientific community including ourselves, they're conducting a review of the policy on autologous therapies or therapies involving the patient's own cells.

"We are hopeful that these regulations will be tightened up, that was our strong advice to them." Endi