Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare warns against using exosomes, a secretion from cells, in elective medical treatments, safety unconfirmed

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare warns against using exosomes, a secretion from cells, in elective medical treatments, safety unconfirmed
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s Central Government Building No. 5 (Central Joint Government Office Building No. 5, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo)

On the 31st, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare issued a warning in response to the spread of elective medical treatments using cell secretions called “exosomes” for cosmetic purposes, etc., stating that the products used in these treatments are not pharmaceuticals approved by the government and their safety has not been confirmed. The ministry requested prefectures and other local governments to thoroughly instruct and crack down on the advertising and sales of products that make claims about efficacy.

The ministry also called on medical institutions that use ingredients believed to contain exosomes to pay attention to safety. In an administrative notice dated the same day, the ministry said that local governments would provide guidance in cases where products 1) indicate that exosomes can be used to treat illnesses, 2) are misleadingly identified as approved medicines, or 3) describe the effects and efficacy of medicines.

For medical institutions, when conducting elective medical treatment using exosomes or other substances, they are urged to make efforts to carry out the treatment safely by referring to the guidelines compiled by the Japan Society for Regenerative Medicine on quality and risk management.

Source: Japanese