Platelet-rich plasma and treatment of erectile dysfunction: critical review of literature and global trends in platelet-rich plasma clinics

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have recently been marketed as a form of autologous cell therapy under the banner of regenerative medicine despite limited scientific evidence on its use for treating erectile dysfunction (ED). Aim: To evaluate the evidence on PRP treatment for ED and determine the current trends in provision of this treatment. Methods: A critical review of the literature on PRP using the PubMed and Embase databases. Outcomes: This narrative review focuses on the clinical use of, regulation of, and evidence for PRP in the treatment of ED. Results: There is a limited number of published peer-reviewed articles demonstrating clinical outcomes pertaining to the use of PRP for ED in human. The technique of PRP application for ED is currently patented, with a global total of 683 registered clinics. The majority of PRP clinics do not provide cost estimates on their websites. Conclusion: Despite a global presence of PRP clinics and ongoing active marketing and public interest in regenerative medicine, no scientific evidence has been published to establish an evidence-based risk-benefit profile for PRP use for ED in humans. Given the limited data on clinical efficacy and potential harmful side effects, there is a need for a proper clinical trial to examine the role of PRP before it is accepted as standard of care in treatment for ED.