March 31, 2019
The CAPRI Clinic has specialized in the treatment of pain coming from joint and soft tissue problems for over 15 years. From 2015 until- mid-2018, we were offering concentrated bone marrow injections (often referred to as stem cell injections) to treat joint and soft tissue pain with the approval of the regulatory body that manages the practice of medicine in Alberta- The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA). For the 1 st 2 years, we carefully monitored the effect of these injections on pain and function and were impressed by how well they worked in most patients. In early 2018 the CPSA officially began regulating these “stem cell” treatments as part of the practice of medicine and released accreditations standards so that other trained physicians could offer these treatments in a safe environment.
Around that same time, Health Canada clarified that cell therapies are considered “drugs” and therefore they also have the authority to regulate stem cell injections. It is Health Canada’s current position that more evidence of safety and effectiveness is required before they should be available for public use. As a result, their use is only approved in Canada if it is part of a Health Canada approved research trial.
At CAPRI Clinic, it is important that we are providing the best medical care we can offer while also complying with the wishes of the regulators. We are actively engaged with both regulatory bodies to come to a solution and have elected to discontinue offering these treatments until there is more clarity.
Your feedback is very important for both Health Canada and the CPSA to hear. Please take the time to email us and we will pass your input along:
If you have questions or concerns about Health Canada's regulations, please feel free to contact them directly at:
hc.bgtd.dgo.enquiries.sc@canada.ca
While we aren't currently offering stem cell injections, we'd encourage you to consider PRP Injection therapy. Like stem cell therapy, our PRP treatments offer many of our patients significant relief from MSK pain. If you're interested in this option, please click here to fill out an intake form.
We appreciate your understanding in this matter and look forward to helping you find pain relief so you can get back to living a more active life!