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. Copyright (C) 2019, International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.