Supreme Court Bans Stem Cell Therapy for Autism

The Supreme Court of India has ruled that stem cell therapies cannot be offered as a medical treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) unless they are part of an approved and closely monitored clinical trial or research study. The judgment was delivered on Friday, January 30, 2026.

A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan criticised the Union Government for not taking action against clinics and individuals offering such unproven treatments. The judges noted that this has led many parents and guardians to spend large amounts of money on therapies that have no proven benefits for children with ASD.

The Supreme Court emphasised that only scientifically approved and regulated studies can offer stem cell therapy, and any attempt to provide it as a standard clinical service violates patient safety and medical guidelines.

The ruling is expected to protect families from exploitation and ensure that children with ASD are not subjected to untested treatments. Experts hope the judgment will also push the government to strengthen regulations and monitoring in the field of experimental therapies.