Safety and regulatory issues regarding stem cell therapies: one clinic's perspective

Stem cells therapies have been in preclinical development for the past 2 decades. A rapidly evolving regulatory landscape has restrained many of these technologies from advancing from the bench to the bedside. Although the large-scale clinical safety of stem cell therapies remains to be fully tested, the total number of patients who have safely received these therapies is large and growing. Prima facie evidence would dictate that certain types of cell therapy are likely safer than others. Understanding the current regulation regarding stem cells involves a discussion of their safety profile, as the 2 issues are closely intertwined.