Stem Cell Therapy Cannot Be Considered for Treatment of Autism, Concludes Maharashtra Panel

Navi Mumbai: The use of stem cell or mononuclear therapy to treat autism, a neurological development disorder, has been dismissed by a six-member panel in Maharashtra.

Headed by the director of Health Services, the Maharashtra Panel took this decision in its recent meeting held on April 26, 2023. The meeting was also attended by 10 senior doctors from the fields of pathology, neurology, pediatrics, medicine, and psychiatry from leading medical schools in the city and Pune.

The report of the Maharashtra panel headed by Director of Health Services Dr. Swapnil Late mentioned, “...at present stem cell or mononuclear therapy cannot be considered for Autism Spectrum Disorder and should not be allowed”.

This comes after last year the National Medical Commission (NMC) dismissed Stem Cell therapy as a method of treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that back then NMC had listed the use of Stem Cell in ASD, its promotion and advertisement as professional misconduct.

Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the Apex medical commission had constituted the panel of experts to examine the issues related to prescription, recommendation or administration of stem cell treatment for ASD.

Also Read: NMC slams Stem Cell Therapy for treating Autism Spectrum Disorder, declares it as Professional Misconduct

Accordingly, the NMC committee has recently submitted its report and discussed in detail about the current understanding of ASD, stem cells in health and SCT research in ASD, well-established clinical uses of SCT and recommendation of SCT for treating ASD.

The committee in its report opined, "...more well-designed and methodologically sound research needs to explore the safety and utility of SCT in ASD."

"None of the current international guidelines recommend SCT as a treatment for ASD. Similarly, many eminent researchers and leaders the lack of sufficient scientific evidence. They also have noted prevailing unethical practice of offering SCT as a treatment for ASD. Further, they have expressed concern and warned about indiscriminate promotion and predatory marketing of stem cell therapies in ASD leading to creation of false hopes, unrealistic expectations, and exploitation of the affected population and their families," mentioned the panel.

"National and international guidelines, including ICMR guidelines are unform in their conclusion that there is insufficient evidence for SCT in ASD and do not recommend it as a treatment for ASD, and call for more high-quality research. Many experts in the field have noted prevailing unethical practice of offering SCT as a treatment for ASD. Further, they have expressed concern and warned about indiscriminate promotion and predatory marketing of stem cell therapies in ASD leading to creation of false hopes, unrealistic expectations, and exploitation of the affected population and their families," the committee had further mentioned in its report.

"In conclusion, there is as yet insufficient and inadequate scientific evidence on efficacy of the SCT in ASD. Therefore, SCT cannot be recommended as it treatment for ASD," the report further stated.

Therefore, clarifying that stem cell therapy is not recommended as a treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in clinical practice, the panel further clarified, "ln view of the above recommendation, use of Stem cell in ASD, its promotion and advertisement will be considered as professional misconduct."

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the researchers and doctors have expressed their concern over the failure of Maharashtra Government to comply with the NMC and ICMR guidelines regarding the use of Stem Cell Therapy for treating autism. Recently the panel dismissed the use of Stem Cell Therapy in his regard.

Apart from director of health services Dr Swapnil Lale, other signatories of the panel report include Dr Vijay Kandewad, joint director-health services, Dr Surabhi Rathi, BMC-run Nair Hospital, and Dr Sunil Karande, BMC-run KEM hospital, among others.

In a meeting held on May 8, Dr Rathi and some others raised questions on the alleged illegal practices. When commenting on the matter, Dr Rathi told TOI, “I am not authorised to speak on behalf of the committee. But it’s a serious issue inviting cancellation of the doctors’ licences.”