Research on stem cell treatment for autism welcomed

The launch of groundbreaking research on the use of stem cells to treat autistic children has been welcomed by the Irish Stem Cell Foundation.

The foundation said many claims were being made worldwide about cord blood stem cells in treating diseases, such as autism.

“The vast majority of these claims are medically unsubstantiated, commercially motivated and can lead to increased medical risk to the patient,” it said.

“As with all registered clinical trials, the interests of the patients are the priority and participants are not asked for large amounts of money — something that does occur in scams.”

The foundation was responding to plans by the US to test whether injecting stem cells banked from autistic children’s umbilical cords can decrease symptoms.

The study by the Sutter Neuroscience Institute in Sacramento is also hoping the study will increase knowledge about autism.

The clinical trial on stem cell therapy for autism is the first of its kind to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

While stem cells have been promoted and sold as a treatment for autism, few clinical trials have been conducted.

Researchers in the US will recruit 30 children with autism, aged between two and seven, and divide them into two groups. One group will receive the stem cell injection and the other will receive a placebo shot.

After six months, the groups will switch and patients will be monitored for improvement in language as well as irritability and other autism rating scales.

Autism causes delayed development in children and typically surfaces before three years of age.

The foundation’s chief scientific officer, Dr Stephen Sullivan, said the clinical trial in the US could take a minimum of six years to complete.