Treatment comparison
PRP vs stem cell therapy for ED, where each sits in the UK in 2026
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP, the basis of the P-Shot) and stem cell therapy are both regenerative approaches to erectile dysfunction, but they sit in very different regulatory and evidence positions. PRP uses your own platelets and growth factors and is an established, routinely-performed treatment in regulated UK clinics. Stem cell therapy for ED is still investigational, largely unavailable in regulated UK practice, and offered abroad (often unregulated) in ways that warrant caution. This page explains the difference honestly.
Summary table
| Detail | PRP (the P-Shot) | Stem cell therapy for ED |
|---|---|---|
| What's used | Your own platelets (autologous) | Various, including autologous adipose-derived, donor mesenchymal, umbilical, exosomes |
| Regulatory status (UK) | Established, routinely performed in regulated clinics | Mostly experimental; UK regulation of cell therapies tightly controlled by HRA / MHRA |
| Evidence base | Maturing, with peer-reviewed trials including Poulios 2021 | Smaller body of evidence, mostly early-phase or non-randomised |
| Cost (UK) | £1,250 - £2,500 typical range | When available, £5,000 - £15,000+ (often abroad) |
| Performed at our clinic | Yes: routinely | No |
| Reversibility | Reversible (your own tissue) | Variable depending on cell type and source |
| Safety profile | Strong: thousands of cases globally (established) | Less established; quality control varies by source |
What PRP actually is
PRP is your own blood, centrifuged to concentrate the platelets. The platelets carry growth factors, your body's own chemical signals for healing. When injected at high concentration into specific tissue, those signals trigger regeneration. PRP is not a stem cell treatment, although platelets do recruit stem cells locally as part of the healing process they support.
PRP is autologous (from you), regulated by standard medical device and clinical practice frameworks, and routinely performed in CQC-regulated clinics. The risk profile is well understood.
What stem cell therapy actually means and where the gaps are
"Stem cell therapy" covers a wide range of treatments using different cell sources:
- Autologous adipose-derived stem cells (from your own fat tissue), used experimentally in some clinics
- Mesenchymal stem cells, usually allogeneic (donor)
- Umbilical cord-derived cells from a donor source
- Exosomes, extracellular vesicles sometimes marketed alongside stem cell offerings
In the UK, advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) including most cell therapies are tightly regulated by the MHRA. Routine offering of stem cell therapy for ED in private UK clinics is uncommon for good regulatory reasons. Some clinics offer it on a research or trial basis under specific approvals.
Internationally, particularly in some clinics in the US, Mexico, Eastern Europe, and parts of Asia, stem cell therapy for ED is offered commercially. The clinical evidence supporting it varies enormously between providers, and quality control on cell sources, processing, and administration is highly variable. Some offerings are responsible early-phase work; some are not.
Our position
We perform PRP. We do not perform stem cell therapy. The reasons:
1. Regulatory clarity. PRP fits within established UK clinical practice. Cell therapies don't, without specific MHRA-route approval that we don't hold.
2. Evidence maturity. The evidence for PRP in ED has matured enough that we can speak honestly about what it does and doesn't do. The evidence for stem cell therapy in ED is younger and the picture is less settled.
3. Cost-benefit honesty. Charging a patient £10,000+ for a treatment with less mature evidence than a £1,250 PRP treatment that may achieve similar outcomes is not something we're willing to do.
4. Safety conservatism. Cell therapies introduce variables (cell viability, sterility, immunogenicity if allogeneic) that don't exist with autologous PRP.
If the regulated UK landscape for stem cell therapy in ED changes, and it may over the next 5-10 years, we'll reconsider. Until then, our position is to do PRP well rather than do cell therapy speculatively.
Should I consider going abroad for stem cell therapy?
We don't recommend it for ED currently. The reasons are practical. The evidence isn't strong enough to justify the cost differential, quality control varies hugely, and after-care for any complication is difficult to arrange across borders. If the regulated UK landscape opens up, and it may, we'll update this page.
If you've already had stem cell therapy abroad and want to combine with or follow up using PRP, that's a conversation we're happy to have at consultation.
FAQ
Is the P-Shot a "stem cell" treatment? No. The P-Shot uses your own platelets and growth factors, not stem cells. The two are related fields but technically distinct.
Do you offer exosomes? Not currently. Exosome therapy in the UK is in a similar regulatory and evidence position to broader stem cell therapy. We will reconsider as the picture matures.
What does "regenerative medicine" actually cover? It's an umbrella term for treatments that stimulate the body's own repair processes, including PRP, shockwave, stem cell therapies, growth-factor therapies, tissue scaffolds, and others. The P-Shot and focused shockwave both sit firmly inside it.
If stem cell therapy becomes available, will you offer it? If and when the UK regulatory and evidence position supports it, yes. We're not philosophically against cell therapies; we're cautious about offering them ahead of the evidence.
Book a private consultation
If you've been considering travelling abroad for stem cell therapy and want a second opinion before committing, a consultation gives you a frank read on whether it's likely to be worth it for your case.