Canada case highlights possible long-term risks of experimental stem cell therapy

Stem cell therapies have the potential to treat many conditions, but so far there’s little proof that they do. Even so, clinics around the world offer stem cell-based treatments for a host of medical problems. New research warns that some of these treatments might not be effective and can, in fact, cause harm — sometimes many years down the line.

A report in the journal CMAJ details the case of a 38-year-old man who developed a benign tumor on his spinal cord that his doctors linked to an experimental stem cell treatment he received 12 years earlier. They said his case highlights the hazards of unproven stem cell-based therapies, as well as the length of time it can take for serious problems to arise.

“The worst-case scenario is not necessarily that [stem cell therapy]