BS RAWAT
NEW DELHI: As there is no research evidence to prove that stem cells are helpful in treatment of psychiatric disorders, the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) has strongly condemned the use of stem cell therapy in such disorders, particularly in autism.

A statement by IPS president Dr Mrugesh Vaishnav and general secretary Dr Vinay Kumar has said, “Stem cells may have potential for regenerative medicine, but do not have a place in the current form of therapy in psychiatry.”

With reference to Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines, the statement says that none of the psychiatric disorders, including autism, are listed in the guidelines as indications.

“Psychiatric disorders including autism are combined derangements of both neuro-developmental and neuro-degenerative trajectories of brain and are polygenetic in origin,” the statement said.

“So they actually are symptomatic manifestations of a variety of different pathogenetic processes about which scientific evidence is as yet inconclusive,” it added.