Yash Charitable Trust commissioned a film to Much Much Media addressing the issue of stem cell therapy being used to cure neurodivergent conditions such as autism.
Shot over December, this film addresses stem cell therapy being used as a cure for autism. gave us - as autistics - an idea of what is happening out there. As late diagnosed autistics, some of our challenges are different from those of caregivers of young autistics. And it turns out, a huge number of caregivers are coming across these stem cell therapy ads online and paying huge money - sometimes not even their own - to ‘cure’ their children and make their difference ‘go away.’
The essence of our advocacy efforts as Much Much Spectrum is to make caregivers, professionals, parents and pretty much everyone else aware that someone’s neurodivergence is part of their identity. It doesn’t ‘go away,’ and that anyone who’s being less themselves after any kind of ‘treatment’ could only just be heavily masking their behavior to avoid any unfavorable circumstances (more treatment, strict punishments, etc).
The answer is acceptance and accommodations, leading to access and agency.
We’ve spoken to doctors, caregiving parents, stem cell experts, and self-advocates in this short film, which talks about why stem cell therapy is not a ‘cure’ for any neurodivergence. And what any parent coming across these ads and considering this therapy for their children must know before they opt in for it.
Good thing the government regulatory body NMC has banned it too. And the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) - which regulates all medical research - has said explicitly that STC is only in the research stage still, and no doctor can charge anyone for it.
Watch it below: