A study published online in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Current Sports Medicine Reports suggests that physicians, parents, and coaches should exercise caution when considering the use of platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) or stem cells to treat injuries in young athletes.
According to the study’s authors, little is known about the safety or effectiveness of regenerative treatments for musculoskeletal injuries in children and adolescents. The collaborative study, which involved sport medicine clinicians, researchers, and a bioethicist, included the following seven-point call to action:
- Exercise caution in treating youth with cell-based therapies as research continues.
- Improve regulatory oversight of these emerging therapies.
- Expand governmental and private research funding.
- Create a system of patient registries to gather treatment and outcomes data.
- Develop a multiyear policy and outreach agenda to increase public awareness.
- Build a multidisciplinary consortium to gather data and promote systematic regulation.
- Develop and pursue a clear collective impact agenda to address the "hype" surrounding regenerative medicine.
