New Delhi, Aug 31 The Delhi High Court has granted permission for two children suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to undergo stem cell therapy as part of their treatment.
The family members of the two children had approached the court with a petition, following a halt in their treatment due to a recommendation by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, heading the bench, highlighted that there is no existing law prohibiting the use of stem cell therapy for ASD.
Noting that the NMC is still in the process of making a final decision on the recommendation, the court said that discontinuing the ongoing treatment would not serve any beneficial purpose and permitted the petitioners to continue the therapy.
It said that this is an interim order, ensuring that treatment does not halt immediately.
However, the treatment's continuation is at the risk of the petitioners themselves.
Doctors from AIIMS, present during the proceedings, apprised that stem cell therapy is currently recognised as a treatment for blood cancer, while its application in treating ASD remains experimental.
The need for more research and clarity on the therapy's protocol was stressed on by the AIIMS doctors. They indicated that, as of now, the efficacy of stem cell therapy for treating ASD is yet to be determined.
One of the petitioners, a medical professional, said that her daughter has shown great improvement through the use of stem cell treatment. The petitioners expressed their concern over the EMRB's recommendation, stating that it hindered the treatment of their children who suffer from Global Developmental Delay with Autism, conditions impacting social and cognitive growth.
The matter will now be heard next on October 3, and the court had urged the NMC to reach a definitive decision on the recommendation.
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