Peoria Cellular Index
What do people ask about care for a sore joint?
What does cellular therapy—joint treatment prepared from your blood or pelvic marrow—mean here? People usually want to know about relief, safety, cost, and the clinic visit. Only an exam can show whether one of these choices may fit you.
Can this care make my joint feel better?
A prepared blood or marrow treatment may ease soreness for some people. Others feel little change. Your result can depend on the joint, the cause of the ache, and your general health. An exam can't promise relief, but it can help you choose a fair goal and decide when to check it.
What risks come with blood or marrow treatment?
Drawing marrow can cause bleeding, infection, or soreness at the pelvis. Placing prepared blood or marrow into a joint can bring swelling, more soreness, or infection. Blood thinners may raise some risks. Ask who will help after hours and which symptoms mean you need prompt medical care.
How much will the whole course of care cost?
Get one written total before you agree. It needs to include the treatment itself and every planned checkup. Ask whether another visit adds a charge. Insurance may not pay for every choice, so check with your health plan and the clinic. Don't rely on a spoken estimate.
Is a stem cell clinic offering the same thing as cellular therapy?
Those broad names don't tell you what is actually offered. A clinic may mean prepared blood, marrow from the pelvis, or something else. Ask for the exact source and preparation. The person examining you also needs to explain why that choice fits the sore part of your joint.
When may basic care be enough?
Soreness after extra use may settle with lighter activity, easy movement, heat, or a cold pack. Exercise can help nearby muscles carry more load. If the joint keeps swelling, gives way, or interrupts sleep, get it checked. You don't need to keep testing home care when the joint is getting worse.
When should I ask about surgery?
Ask when the damage is severe, the joint hurts at rest, or daily movement keeps getting harder. A surgical opinion doesn't mean you must have an operation. It can help you understand whether waiting is safe and how surgery compares with the non-surgical choices available to you.
Sources
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FDA states in its consumer alert that the only FDA-approved stem cell products in the United States are blood-forming stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood, approved for disorders of the blood-forming system, and that NONE of these products - stem cells, stromal vascular fraction, umbilical cord blood, Wharton's jelly or amniotic fluid - has been approved for the treatment of any orthopedic condition, including osteoarthritis, tendonitis, disc disease, tennis elbow, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, neck pain or shoulder pain.
US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research — Consumer Alert on Regenerative Medicine Products Including Stem Cells and Exosomes. , 2020.
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21 CFR 1271.10(a) sets the four criteria a human cell or tissue product must meet to be regulated SOLELY under section 361 of the Public Health Service Act: it must be minimally manipulated; intended for homologous use only, as reflected by labeling and advertising; not combined with another article beyond water, crystalloids or a preserving agent; and either have no systemic effect and not depend on the metabolic activity of living cells, or else be for autologous use, use in a close blood relative, or reproductive use.
US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 — 21 CFR 1271.10 - Are my HCT/P's regulated solely under section 361 of the PHS Act. , 2004.
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In 96 patients, concentrated bone marrow aspirate contained a mean of 26.3 million nucleated cells per mL but only about 1,422 colony-forming units of connective tissue progenitors, and the nucleated cell count had negligible predictive value for how many progenitor cells were actually present (r-squared 0.28).
Muench LN, et al. — Nucleated Cell Count Has Negligible Predictive Value for the Number of Colony-Forming Units for Connective Tissue Progenitor Cells (Stem Cells) in Bone Marrow Aspirate Harvested From the Proximal Humerus During Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair. Arthroscopy, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2021.01.064.
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In a 480-patient, four-arm, multicenter randomized phase 2/3 trial, none of three orthobiologic cell injections - autologous bone marrow aspirate concentrate, autologous adipose stromal vascular fraction, or allogeneic umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells - was superior to any other, or to a corticosteroid injection control, on pain at 12 months.
Mautner K, et al. — Cell-based versus corticosteroid injections for knee pain in osteoarthritis: a randomized phase 3 trial. Nat Med, 2023. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02632-w.
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A comprehensive review of published case reports, clinical reports and media accounts catalogued the safety incidents associated with unproven stem cell interventions and the factors driving the global growth of the 'stem cell tourism' market.
Bauer G, et al. — Concise Review: A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Unproven Stem Cell-Based Interventions. Stem Cells Transl Med, 2018. DOI: 10.1002/sctm.17-0282.
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In orders issued 26 December 2024 and announced 8 January 2025, a federal court permanently banned the co-founders of the Stem Cell Institute of America and their companies from marketing any regenerative medicine treatment, and ordered $5,155,146 in refunds and civil penalties. The court found on summary judgment that they published false and misleading advertisements about the efficacy and approval of stem cell injections for osteoarthritis, neuropathy and joint pain; their clinic charged up to $5,000 per injection and the customers were almost exclusively elderly and disabled people.
US Federal Trade Commission — Stem Cell Institute Co-Founders and Companies Banned from Marketing Stem Cell Treatments and Ordered to Pay More Than $5.1 Million for Refunds and Civil Penalties. , 2025.
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In October 2018 the FTC settled charges against a California physician and two companies that earned at least $3.31 million selling 'amniotic stem cell therapy' between 2014 and 2017 - initial injections cost $9,500 to $15,000 with booster treatments at $5,000 to $8,000 - for advertising, without evidence, that it treated Parkinson's disease, autism, macular degeneration, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and osteoarthritis.
US Federal Trade Commission — FTC Stops Deceptive Health Claims by a Stem Cell Therapy Clinic. , 2018.
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A 2016 analysis of internet marketing found widespread direct-to-consumer promotion of unapproved stem cell interventions by businesses based in the United States - not only in countries with lax medical regulation - and concluded regulators must better oversee the marketplace.
Turner L, et al. — Selling Stem Cells in the USA: Assessing the Direct-to-Consumer Industry. Cell Stem Cell, 2016. DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2016.06.007.
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A 2019 JAMA research letter documented the credentials and scope of training of the physician and non-physician practitioners staffing US companies that market unproven stem cell procedures - many practise well outside the specialty their training covers.
Fu W, et al. — Characteristics and Scope of Training of Clinicians Participating in the US Direct-to-Consumer Marketplace for Unproven Stem Cell Interventions. JAMA, 2019. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2019.5837.
What should I bring to the appointment?
Bring your medicine list, old joint reports, and one daily activity you want to make easier. The office is at 13128 N. 94th Dr., Suite 205, near Thunderbird Road and west of Loop 101. Call (602) 837-PAIN.
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