Our Approach to Research & Patient Guidance

What we do (and don't do)

Regenerative Treatment Guide is an independent educational and clinic-matching service. We are not a medical provider, and we do not deliver treatment or give medical advice. Our role is to help you understand non-surgical options — knee, back, shoulder, and joint pain — and to connect you with verified, board-certified clinics suited to your condition and location.

How we source information

Our content is built on credible, primary sources rather than marketing claims. We draw on:

• Peer-reviewed research indexed in PubMed
• Registered studies on ClinicalTrials.gov
• Guidance from the NIH and the FDA
• Professional and academic society resources

Our evidence hierarchy

When sources disagree — and in this field they often do — we weight them. From strongest to weakest:

1. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.
2. Individual randomized controlled trials.
3. Observational and registry studies and registered trials on ClinicalTrials.gov.
4. Regulatory and government guidance (FDA, NIH) for status and safety.
5. Professional society statements for clinical consensus.

Clinic advertising, testimonials, and anecdotes sit outside this hierarchy. We do not use them as evidence for whether a treatment works.

How we vet a claim — a worked example

Take a common question: "Does stem cell therapy work for knee arthritis?" Rather than repeat marketing language, we go to the literature. A 2020 meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials of stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis reported improvements in some pain and function scores — a genuinely encouraging signal. But the same analysis, like most in this area, cautions that the trials were small, varied in design, and need larger, longer follow-up before firm conclusions can be drawn. So the claim we publish is calibrated: "promising and actively studied, especially for the knee — but investigational, with results that vary and are not guaranteed." That calibration, applied consistently, is the core of our approach.

Our evidence standards

• Every significant medical claim links to a source.
• We separate established science from investigational uses. Many regenerative applications for pain are still being studied and are not FDA-approved for those uses; we say so plainly.
• We avoid overpromising. We don't claim guaranteed cures, and we note that results vary.
• We keep content current with "last updated / last reviewed" dates.

FDA & regulatory context

We hold our content to the FDA's stated positions. The FDA regulates stem cell products, and generally all such products require FDA approval. The only stem cell products currently approved in the United States are blood-forming stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood, approved for disorders affecting blood production — not orthopedic uses. There are currently no approved exosome products. Regenerative products including stem cells, exosomes, adipose-derived products, Wharton's jelly, cord blood, and amniotic fluid have not been approved to treat orthopedic conditions such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis, disc disease, tennis elbow, or back, hip, knee, neck, and shoulder pain. You can read the agency's consumer guidance directly on the FDA website.

What we are — and are not (our disclosure)

In the interest of transparency: Regenerative Treatment Guide is a clinic-matching service, and we may earn a referral fee when we connect a patient with a provider in our network. We believe you should know that. It does not change how we describe the science — we label investigational uses honestly whether or not it helps a referral, and we never present a guaranteed outcome. We are not a medical provider, we do not deliver treatment, and we do not give medical advice. Our role is education and matching; your care decisions belong to you and a licensed physician.

Medical review

We are building a medical advisory board of board-certified physicians to review our research and patient-education content for clinical accuracy. Reviewed articles display a clear "Medically reviewed by [Name, Credentials]" signal.

Our disclaimer policy

All content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage every reader to consult a qualified, licensed healthcare provider about their individual situation.

How clinic matching works

When you complete our free assessment, we match you with verified clinics based on your condition and location. Every clinic in our network is reviewed for board certification and adherence to recognized standards. There's no cost or obligation to you.