Part 2: Why some stem cell treatments are banned in Australia

Stem cell treatments are being offered around the globe as an almost ‘miracle’ intervention promising to help patients avoid major surgeries and treat untreatable conditions.

While commercialised and able to be accessed internationally, the bulk of stem cell related therapies in Australia remain ‘experimental,’ with only a limited amount of uses approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the National Health and Medical Research Council. So what exactly are stem cells, why are Australians traveling overseas to get them and is it time for a regulatory rethink?

In Part Two of this two-part deep dive of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Professor Megan Munsie, an expert in stem cell ethics and policy at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and Professor James St John, Head of the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, to break down the future of stem cell treatments in Australia.

Listen to Part One here.

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