Companies are making thousands of pounds by misleading parents with claims that collecting stem cells from their children’s teeth can be a treatment for diabetes and autism, an investigation has found.
Tooth stem cell banking, also known as dental pulp cell banking, involves parents collecting and sending lost milk teeth to a laboratory where stem cells are harvested from the dental pulp. Firms that advertise tooth banking services claim these stem cells can be used in treatments for conditions such as diabetes and autism.
The investigation, by Emma Wilkinson and published in the BMJ, found that three companies in the UK offer tooth stem cell banking – BioEden, Future Health Biobank and Stem Protect. The service costs about £1,900, with a £95 annual storage fee.
On its website, Future Health Biobank says it has released 26 tooth stem cell samples for treatment, including for autism, type 1 diabetes and knee cartilage regeneration. Stem Protect states on its website that tooth stem cells can be used for cleft palate repair and HIV/Aids among other conditions, and says “medical trials into autism and cerebral palsy involve the pulp found inside teeth and offer hope for hundreds of conditions”.
BioEden’s website claimed stem cell therapy had been described as the “next frontier” for treating both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and that the company had “already witnessed the remarkable evidence of these ongoing developments” among its customers.
However, experts have expressed doubts about the medical value of tooth stem cell banking.
“There is a lack of evidence and a paucity of research using dental pulp stem cells to treat patients,” said Jill Shepherd, a senior lecturer in stem cell biology at the University of Kent. “There’s no evidence to suggest stem cells stored from a child’s milk tooth would ever be needed to treat that child.”
Sufyan Hussain, an investigator on the UK arm of a global clinical trial evaluating stem cell therapy, said there was not a definitive answer regarding the “optimal source of stem cells for future diabetes therapies”.
“This highlights how emotive this matter can be, as parents naturally want the best possible outcomes for their children,” Hussain said. “While we remain hopeful about future treatments, there is also a risk that companies might exploit these hopes to generate additional revenue.”
Tim Nicholls, assistant director of policy, research and strategy at the National Autistic Society in the UK, said it was “outrageous” that tooth stem cell procedures are being advertised to parents with the claim of “treating” autism.
He added: “Autism is not a disease or illness; it cannot be treated and there is no cure. It is dangerous and morally bankrupt to target potentially vulnerable people with expensive procedures that could, in fact, cause harm.”
In response to the BMJ article, Future Health Biobank said it was looking at how information on its site is presented in order to ensure “readers can clearly distinguish between client experiences and formally published clinical outcomes”.
A spokesperson for Stem Protect said: “We have made no unfounded claims, and our website has been reviewed and approved by the Human Tissue Authority. We remain committed to ensuring stem cell banking is presented as a valuable resource, backed by evidence and transparency.”