The National Medical Council (NMC) and Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) have tightened guidance on stem cell therapy, barring doctors and medical institutions from recommending it as a standard commercial treatment outside government-approved conditions. The latest guidelines, published on September 5, state that stem cell therapy outside the approved indications is permissible only in the context of research.

The guidance comes amid concerns that families seeking potential cures for conditions including autism spectrum disorder, spinal cord injuries, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis may agree to stem cell therapy as a standard treatment despite its experimental status in these settings. According to the advisory, if stem cells have undergone more than minimal manipulation, the research will be regulated by the Central Drugs and…