Parents banking milk teeth stem cells face warnings over unproven medical claims
Parents in the UK are being charged thousands of pounds by private companies to bank stem cells from children’s milk teeth — but leading experts have warned that claims about their future medical value are “unproven and potentially misleading.”
A British Medical Journal (BMJ) investigation has revealed that some stem cell banking companies suggest dental pulp stem cells are already being used to treat conditions such as autism, type 1 diabetes, and cleft palates. Parents typically pay around £1,900 upfront plus £95 annually for storage.
‘Outrageous’ claims of treating autism
One UK-based bank claimed to have released 26 stem cell samples for treatments, including autism and knee cartilage regeneration. Another cited uses in sickle cell disease, HIV/AIDS, and severe combined immunodeficiency.
However, experts have strongly criticized these claims. Tim Nicholls, Assistant Director at the National Autistic Society, said:
“It’s outrageous that tooth stem cell procedures are being advertised to parents with the false claim of treating autism. Autism is not a disease or illness, it cannot be treated and there is no cure.”
Nicholls added that such marketing was “dangerous and morally bankrupt,” especially as it targets vulnerable families with costly procedures.
Lack of evidence for diabetes and other diseases
Concerns were also raised about using dental stem cells for diabetes and other conditions. Dr Sufyan Hussain, an investigator in a global clinical trial on stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes, said:
“At present, there isn’t a definitive answer regarding the optimal source of stem cells for future diabetes therapies.”
Dr Jill Shepherd, senior lecturer in stem cell biology at the University of Kent, stressed, “there is a lack of evidence” and a paucity of research on using dental pulp stem cells for patients:
- Whether stem cells are present in stored samples
- Whether samples have been properly collected
- How long samples can remain viable in storage
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Regulatory response
The BMJ has referred its concerns to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA), which confirmed it will review the evidence behind the claims.
One company has pledged to review its website content to ensure parents can “distinguish between client experiences and formally published clinical outcomes.” It also highlighted its “robust storage validation programme” to safeguard the viability of biological samples.
As the debate continues, experts stress that parents should exercise caution, demand clear scientific evidence, and remain aware of the risks of investing in costly but unproven procedures.
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