If you or someone you love has progressive multiple sclerosis, you may have heard about stem cell therapy as a potential treatment. A new analysis of 143 patients with progressive MS looked at whether transplanting mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could slow disability. The results are sobering: there was no significant improvement in disability scores compared to a placebo.
The study combined data from several trials. After treatment, the change in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was essentially the same between the stem cell group and the placebo group. The difference was tiny and not statistically significant. In plain terms, the stem cells didn't help people walk better or reduce their disability.
On the safety side, there was some good news. The analysis found no significant increase in treatment-emergent adverse events or serious adverse events. So the procedure appears safe in the short term. But the evidence for both safety and effectiveness is limited. The certainty of the findings for disability change and serious side effects is very low, meaning we can't draw firm conclusions.
This doesn't mean stem cell therapy is useless for everyone with MS. It might help certain patients, but we don't know which ones yet. More research is needed to identify who could benefit. For now, the takeaway is clear: stem cell transplants are safe but don't offer a clear benefit for disability in unselected patients with progressive MS.
