Regenerative Medicine: My 2 Cents… With A Focus On PRP
I’ve wanted to write a newsletter on regenerative medicine for a while, but I knew it would require slowing down and honestly reviewing where the literature stands. I kept putting it off until an article by Scott Rodeo landed in my inbox.
Although I’ve never met him personally, Dr. Rodeo is a surgeon I’ve long respected. He’s a team physician for the New York Giants, and his lectures and surgical videos have been resources I’ve returned to repeatedly throughout my career.
In that article, he wrote:
“Regenerative medicine isn’t there yet. The science is promising, but the marketing is sprinting too far ahead.”
In a 2023 journal, he wrote:
“Current data suggest that orthobiologics are "symptom-modifying," but there is little evidence that they can lead to true tissue regeneration ("structure-modifying")”
At this juncture… in the year 2026, I agree with these statements.
There is enormous pressure on both physicians and patients to pursue so-called “miracle” treatments. While the potential is real, the outcomes we hope for simply are not consistently supported by the data… yet.
That doesn’t mean I’m pessimistic. It means we need to be honest.
My goal here is to clarify what regenerative medicine is, what it is not, and where certain treatments (focusing on PRP) may be beneficial.
What Regenerative Medicine Is — and Is Not
Regenerative medicine refers to treatments that use cells or biologic materials to influence healing and inflammation. Common examples include PRP, stem cells, adipose-derived cells, and emerging gene-based therapies. “Orthobiologics” is subset of regenerative medicine utilized to treat orthopeadic ailments (my focus).
What regenerative medicine does not currently do is regenerate complex structures in the body. We cannot regrow cartilage, rebuild an ACL, or reverse arthritis consistently inside the body.
As Dr. Rodeo notes in his work, most injected cells do not survive long-term or integrate into tissue. Instead, they appear to act by releasing signaling molecules that help decrease inflammation.
That distinction matters.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
I’ll be honest. I like PRP. I’ve had it in my elbow tendons for “tennis elbow” when everything else failed.
Yes, I just spent several paragraphs cautioning against overpromising. Both things can be true.
PRP involves drawing a patient’s blood, centrifuging (spinning) it to concentrate platelets and growth factors, and injecting it into injured tissue.
The evidence is strongest for PRP in certain inflammatory conditions, including knee osteoarthritis, tennis elbow, and plantar fasciitis. Evidence for arthritis in joints other than the knee is more limited.
The data becomes mixed when PRP is used alongside surgery, such as ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair, or cartilage procedures. That said, in select cases like revision ACL surgery or complex cartilage work, I may consider PRP given its relatively low risk profile and potential to help.
Side Effects and Risks
While many regenerative treatments are marketed as “natural” and “safe,” not all are well-regulated or supported by evidence. Patients often spend thousands of dollars, sometimes traveling abroad, to receive these therapies.
Dr. Rodeo highlights rare but serious complications reported in the literature, including infection, tumor formation, and even blindness after experimental injections. These outcomes are uncommon, but they underscore the importance of understanding exactly what is being offered and why.
Low risk does not mean no risk. And experimental treatments should be scrutinized when considered.
Final Thoughts
Regenerative medicine holds real promise, and it has not yet lived up to the way it is often marketed.
Among current options, PRP has the strongest body of evidence in my opinion, and a relatively favorable safety profile. Its primary benefit appears to be reducing inflammation, which can be a significant driver of pain and dysfunction. It is often more painful than steroid injections and commonly causes short-term soreness and redness, but serious side effects are rare.
Some regenerative treatments are supported for specific diagnoses. Others remain experimental.
Be cautious, ask questions, and do your own research.
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Dr. Megan Lisset Jimenez
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References:
Gupta P, Jamra A, Prakash S, Gupta S, Bharti A. Evaluating the Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Treating Primary Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Interventional Study. Cureus. 2024;16(10):e71415. PMID: 39539882.
Li M, Tu Y, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Di Z. Effect of platelet-rich plasma scaffolding combined with osteochondral autograft transfer for full-thickness articular cartilage defects of the femoral condyle. Biomed Mater. 2022;17(6). PMID: 36195078.
Pretorius J, Habash M, Ghobrial B, Alnajjar R, Ellanti P. Current Status and Advancements in Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy. Cureus. 2023 Oct 17;15(10):e47176. PMID: 38021947.
Rodeo SA. Orthobiologics: Current Status in 2023 and Future Outlook. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2023;31(12):604-613. 37130369.
Rodeo SA. Will Regenerative Medicine Live Up to Its Name? The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2025;53(10):2285-2288. PMID: 40746050
Dr. Rodeo’s article:
https://www.statnews.com/2025/12/18/regenerative-medicine-stem-cells-miracles-giants/
