Unregulated Stem Cell Treatments Surge Amid Controversy
WHO:
The Guardian - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the US health secretary.
The Guardian - Mike Chan is a Malaysian physician involved in stem cell treatments.
The Guardian - Tracy Slepcevic is the organizer of the Autism Health summit and a proponent of alternative therapies.
The Guardian - Ed Clay is the founder of the Cellular Performance Institute (CPI) in Tijuana.
The Guardian - Greice Murphy runs Better Stem, a Miami-based stem cell clinic.
WHAT:
The Guardian - Autistic children as young as 18 months are being injected with unapproved stem cell treatments.
The Guardian - The cost of each stem cell treatment can be up to $20,000.
The Guardian - A clinical trial involving 120 autistic children will begin next month in Tijuana.
The Guardian - Taylor, a mother from Utah, will pay $12,500 for her son Ollie's stem cell infusion.
WHERE:
The Guardian - Clinics offering these treatments are located in Florida, Texas, and other states.
The Guardian - The clinical trial will take place in Tijuana, Mexico.
The Guardian - Better Stem is based in Miami.
WHEN:
The Guardian - The clinical trial in Tijuana will begin next month.
The Guardian - Taylor and her son will travel to Florida for the infusion at the end of this month.
WHY:
The Guardian - Parents are drawn to these treatments due to hopes for improvements in their children's abilities to speak and socialize.
The Guardian - Kennedy has undercut established scientific endeavors and supported alternative health providers.
HOW:
The Guardian - The procedure may involve sedation with ketamine and intravenous doses of stem cells.
The Guardian - Better Stem claims to offer "legal, compliant access" to stem cell therapies under the "right-to-try" law signed by Trump in 2018.
(UPDATED June 12, 2026 21:35 UTC)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is currently serving as the US health secretary, while Mike Chan, a Malaysian physician, is involved in stem cell treatments, and Tracy Slepcevic organizes the Autism Health summit, advocating for alternative therapies. Clinics across Florida, Texas, and other states are administering unapproved stem cell treatments to autistic children as young as 18 months, with costs reaching up to $20,000, and a clinical trial for 120 autistic children is set to begin next month in Tijuana, Mexico. Taylor, a mother from Utah, plans to pay $12,500 for her son Ollie's infusion at a clinic in Florida at the end of this month, driven by hopes for improvements in his ability to speak and socialize.