How strong is the evidence for stem-cell therapy in Cerebral Palsy?
ClinicalTrials.gov registrations alone cannot establish how strong the evidence is. Registry activity is active but still early, with limited late-phase registration: the registry holds 41 records, 16 completed, 2 at Phase 3 or 4, and 6 stopped early (15%). MSC-specific work accounts for 13 of those records. These counts describe research activity and maturity, not benefit, safety or certainty. Snapshot 2026-08-29.
What counts as a real result in Cerebral Palsy
Credible outcomes are blinded scores on validated motor scales at six to twelve months, with the control arm receiving identical rehabilitation. Parent-reported gains after a trip that also included daily therapy sessions cannot be attributed to the infusion, however genuine the improvement is.
What we can say from registrations alone
- Volume: 41 registered studies since 2009.
- Maturity: 2 confirmatory-phase records.
- Delivery: 16 completed; 6 terminated, withdrawn or suspended.
- Scale: median planned enrolment 40 participants, largest 500.
The completed studies
Completed does not mean published, and published does not mean positive. These are the finished records — the starting point for checking whether results ever appeared.
| Study | Phase | Status | Planned n | Lead sponsor | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT01929434 — Efficacy of Stem Cell Transplantation Compared to Rehabilitation Treatment of Patients With Cerebral Paralysis | Phase 3 | Completed | 300 | General Hospital of Chinese Armed Police Forces | 2013-10 |
| NCT01193660 — Allogenic Umbilical Cord Blood and Erythropoietin Combination Therapy for Cerebral Palsy | n/a | Completed | 105 | Sung Kwang Medical Foundation | 2010-05 |
| NCT03473301 — A Study of UCB and MSCs in Children With CP: ACCeNT-CP | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Completed | 91 | Joanne Kurtzberg, MD | 2018-04-10 |
| NCT03130816 — Mechanism of Allogeneic UCB Therapy in Cerebral Palsy | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Completed | 90 | Bundang CHA Hospital | 2015-07-29 |
| NCT02983708 — Neuroregenerative Potential of Intravenous G-CSF and Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cells | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Completed | 57 | Hanyang University Seoul Hospital | 2011-08 |
| NCT02569775 — Outcomes of Stem Cells for Cerebral Palsy | Phase 2 | Completed | 40 | Vinmec Healthcare System | 2014-04 |
What registrations cannot tell you
Whether results were positive. Whether they were published at all — a large share of registered studies never report outcomes, which biases what the literature appears to show. And whether the product a commercial clinic sells resembles the product studied: cell source, dose, processing and delivery route vary enormously between a registered protocol and an off-protocol injection.
How to use this when someone is selling you a treatment
Ask which specific registered study supports the offer, then compare its intervention description with your quote. If the answer is a general gesture at "Cerebral Palsy research", you are being sold the field's activity rather than evidence about the product. The Provider Question Builder turns that gap into questions.
Frequently asked
How strong is the evidence for stem-cell therapy in Cerebral Palsy?
ClinicalTrials.gov registrations alone cannot establish how strong the evidence is. Registry activity is active but still early, with limited late-phase registration: 41 registered records, 2 at Phase 3/4 and 6 stopped early (2026-08-29).
Has any stem-cell product been approved for this condition?
Check the regulator's own register for the exact product name. Marketing frequently blurs approval for one narrow indication into approval in general.
Why do clinics cite hundreds of studies?
Because counting registrations is easy and sounds authoritative. The number that matters is how many controlled studies reported a clinically meaningful outcome for the product being sold.
Registry and literature counts retrieved 2026-08-29 (ClinicalTrials.gov API v2; PubMed E-utilities). Registration or publication volume measures research activity, not effectiveness or approval. Educational information — not medical advice; verify product, indication, legal pathway and evidence with an independent qualified physician. Page generated 2026-08-29. See our editorial standards.