New here? Start here.

Welcome. If you've been reading about stem cells, PRP, or exosomes and feel more confused than when you started, you're in good company. This page takes about five minutes and gives you the basics you need to read everything else on the site.

1. The main types, in one line each

  • Bone marrow transplant (blood-forming stem cells): the established stem cell treatment, used for blood cancers and blood disorders for decades.

  • MSCs (mesenchymal stromal cells): cells grown or concentrated from bone marrow, fat, or umbilical cord tissue. Most "stem cell" injections for joints and backs fall here.

  • Wharton's jelly: the jelly-like tissue inside the umbilical cord, one source of MSCs.

  • PRP (platelet-rich plasma): your own blood, spun to concentrate platelets. No stem cells.

  • Exosomes: tiny packets cells release. No living cells.

Studies on one type don't automatically apply to another. More detail: The Science.

2. Five words you'll see a lot

  • Randomized controlled trial (RCT): people are assigned by chance to the treatment or a comparison. The fairest kind of single study.

  • Placebo: a look-alike treatment with no active ingredient. It shows how much improvement comes from expectation and time.

  • Systematic review / meta-analysis: a study of all the good studies on a question. Usually the strongest evidence.

  • Autologous / allogeneic: from your own body / from a donor.

  • FDA-approved: the FDA has reviewed evidence for a specific product for a specific use. "Registered" or "FDA-compliant lab" doesn't mean the same thing.

3. How to read a claim in 30 seconds

Ask four things:

  1. How many people? Results from 20 people can easily flip in 400.

  2. Compared with what? No comparison group means you can't separate the treatment from time and expectation.

  3. Who paid? Company funding doesn't make a study wrong, but it's worth knowing.

  4. Has it been repeated? One good trial is a start. Science leans on repeats. (Example: a stem cell product approved in Europe in 2018 was withdrawn in 2024 after a larger trial didn't confirm the first one. Details on The Science.)

4. Pick your path

5. Questions people ask first

Is stem cell therapy FDA-approved? A few specific products are, for specific uses: blood-forming cord blood products for certain blood disorders, and one MSC product, Ryoncil, for a serious transplant complication in children. The FDA says regenerative medicine products haven't been approved for orthopedic conditions like osteoarthritis or back pain. Our FDA article and The Science page link to the sources.

Does stem cell therapy work? It depends on the product and the condition, and for most uses the honest answer is "not proven yet." Some trials are encouraging, and some large ones have been disappointing. Studies on one type, such as PRP, bone marrow, or Wharton's jelly, don't automatically apply to another. Each article walks through the specific studies.

Is stem cell therapy safe? Carefully run trials have generally reported few serious side effects. Serious harms, including vision loss and infections, have been reported with unproven products given outside trials. The product, how it's prepared, and the setting all matter, which is why it's worth asking what's in the syringe and whether it's part of a registered study.

Can Vivonyx tell me if it's right for me? We can't. We can share what the research shows and help you think of good questions to ask, but personal medical decisions belong with you and a licensed clinician. If you have a question about a study or a claim you've seen, you can email hello@vivonyx.com or ask the AI assistant.

6. Stay in the loop

Get new research summaries when a new article goes up. Plain English, cited, no sales.

Get an email when a new article is posted: Sign up on the homepage

Have a question now? Email hello@vivonyx.com or ask the AI assistant.

Educational content only, not medical advice. Disclaimer