Scientists have investigated stem cell therapy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), but few studies have focused on human subjects. A recent review paper in Sexual Medicine Reviews discusses human trials and stresses the need for more research.
Stem cell therapy, along with shockwave therapy and injectable platelet-rich plasma, is a restorative approach. Its goal is to “reverse the underlying changes that have caused the patient’s ED,” the study authors explained. Other clinical areas investigating stem cell therapy include cardiology, neurology, and orthopedics.
However, stem cell therapy is currently not a routinely recommended ED treatment and it is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration)(FDA). The American Urological Association (AUA), the European Association of Urology (EAU), and the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) consider the approach investigational. [Note: The SMSNA is affiliated with the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM)]