Stem Cell Therapy Australia 2025: Laws, Costs & Alternatives

Stem cell therapy is a hot topic in Australia.

In this guide, we’ll break down what Stem Cell Treatments are allowed in Australia, what’s not, and where people are going for treatments they can’t get locally. Plus, we’ll cover the latest regulations, costs, and alternative options in countries like Japan, Thailand, and India.

What Is Stem Cell Treatment?

Stem cell therapy is all about using the body’s natural repair cells to heal damaged tissues. It’s being studied for everything from joint pain to neurodegenerative diseases. If you want the full breakdown, including how it works, the different types, and what it can (and can’t) do, check out our guide on How Stem Cell Therapy works.

Is Stem Cell Therapy Legal in Australia?

Yes, Stem cell therapy is legal in Australia, but tightly regulated. The TGA allows certain treatments, like using your own stem cells for joint issues or approved stem cell transplants for blood disorders. However, lab-grown (expanded) stem cell therapies are banned outside of clinical trials

Considering Stem Cell Therapy clinics in Japan or South Korea?

We don’t let any clinic just sign up or pay to be listed.

We speak to every clinic directly and review their medical team, the treatments they offer, how their stem cells are sourced and how they follow up with patients after treatment.

We also review licensing documents to confirm they meet the legal and medical standards of the country they operate in. For example, whether cells are processed in a GMP-certified facility or if they provide documentation on stem cell quality.

Clinics must also agree to let us collect and publish independent patient reviews. Both positive and negative.

Why Use Alt Treatment?

We don’t just list clinics, we help you choose the right one, get the best pricing and support you through the entire journey. For free.

Compare with Confidence: Get clinic matches based on your condition, location, and budget.

Ask the Right Questions: Know what to ask before committing

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Travel & Visa Help: Need to travel for care? We can help with logistics, documents, and local tips.

Found a Clinic Elsewhere? We’ll check their licensing and track record for you, free of charge.

No Strings Attached: Even if you choose a clinic we don’t partner with, we’re still here to help you make the best decision.

Who Regulates Stem Cells in Australia?

The TGA regulates stem cell treatments in Australia, ensuring that only approved therapies—like certain autologous stem cell procedures—are legally available. However, there are some grey areas in the regulations. If you want to dive deeper into them, check it out here

What Stem Cell Treatments are Allowed in Australia?

Currently in Australia, using Your Own Stem Cells (Autologous Therapy) for arthritis, tendon injuries, or joint issues is allowed. So are Stem Cell Treatment for blood disorders too.

• Clinics can use your own stem cells, taken from fat (adipose tissue) or bone marrow. But here’s the catch: they can’t be grown or altered in a lab before reinjection, so the number of stem cells in your treatment is limited.
• Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants (HSCT) – Approved and widely used for blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. This involves transplanting blood-forming stem cells from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood.
• Clinical Trials – If you’re looking for more advanced treatments, hospitals and research centers run TGA-approved trials for conditions like spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis (MS), and neurological disorders—but these are strictly controlled and not commercially available.
  
  

What Stem Cell treatments are NOT Allowed in Australia?

• Expanded (Lab-Grown) Stem Cells – Clinics cannot grow, multiply, or modify stem cells in a lab unless they get specific TGA approval as an “Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product” (ATMP)—which very few have.
• Umbilical Cord Stem Cells in Private Clinics – If a private clinic in Australia is offering umbilical cord stem cell therapy, it’s not legal. These are only used in approved transplants and research trials.
• Stem Cell Treatments for Anti-Aging or Wellness – You might see clinics advertising stem cells for skin rejuvenation or general health, but these aren’t legally approved for commercial use outside research settings.

How Much Does Stem Cell Therapy Cost in Australia?

Orthopedic treatments typically cost between $7,000 and $20,000 AUD. It’s definitely not cheap!  We’ve gathered our pricing data in a few different ways & we’re always updating it!

But if you’re looking for more advanced or affordable options, countries like India, Thailand, and Japan offer treatments at slightly cheaper costs. Check out our guide on Average costs in different countries for a full breakdown of costs.

Does Medicare in Australia cover Stem Cell Treatments?

Yes, Medicare in Australia covers stem cell treatments for approved procedures like hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) used for blood disorders and cancers. But, cosmetic and unapproved treatments aren’t covered!

Where to Get Stem Cells Near Australia?

If you’re in Australia, nearby countries like Japan, Thailand, and India offer more advanced or affordable Stem Cell treatment options. (it’s up to you to decide if they’re better though!)

Here’s a quick look at them:

• Japan
  Japan is a leader in stem cell research, with some of the strictest regulations in the world. Clinics offer a wide range of stem cell therapies for conditions. They just approved Stem Cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease too! If you’re looking for a highly regulated and safe option, Japan is one of the best choices—but they’re not as cheap as India or Thailand. Read our full guide on stem cell therapy in Japan here.
• South Korea
  South Korea recently changed its laws in 2025 to mirror Japan’s. Approved Regenerative Medicine Facilities can offer Autologous Cultured Stem Cell Treatments for a wide variety of conditions. They also have the world’s first umbilical cord derived Stem Cell Product for Knee Osteoarthritis (Cartistem). Read our full South Korea Country & Cost Guide.
  
• Thailand
  A common choice for Australians seeking medical procedures, Thailand has a large number of stem cell clinics.  Offering everything from joint therapy to anti-aging treatments.. Thailand is the only one of these three countries where umbilical cord-derived MSC therapy is legally available. But, it’s super important to choose the right clinic, regulations aren’t the tightest here.
  If you’re considering treatment here, proper research is key. See our full breakdown of stem cell therapy in Thailand here.
• India
  If cost is a major factor, India is often the cheapest option. They have strong English speaking services too.  However, India’s stem cell industry is less regulated, and the country has a mix of reputable hospitals and scam clinics. While some facilities offer advanced treatments, it’s super important to verify the credibility of any clinic before moving forward. Explore our full guide on stem cell therapy in India here.

Picking the right clinic is critical, which is why we’ve done the legwork to help you avoid risky providers. We’ve collated the best clinics in these regions for you already & we support you throughout the whole process!

If you want to know about other countries offering treatments, check out our Best Countries for Stem Cell Therapy Guide for a full comparison of top destinations, and what to watch out for.

Latest Stem Cell Research & advancements in Australia 2025

Australia is making big moves in stem cell research. The Stem Cell Therapies Mission (part of the MRFF) finalized its plans in 2023 to accelerate research. It funds trials for osteoarthritis, neurological diseases, and blood disorders to move promising treatments closer to real-world use. You can read more about the mission here!

Last year, in 2024 the government put $34.5 million into new projects aimed at tackling conditions like osteoarthritis, spinal cord injuries, and motor neuron disease. The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) is spreading its funding across six key research projects.

What’s Being Funded?

• Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment – A $7 million investment is going into clinical trials led by Melbourne-based Magellan Stem Cells, testing a donor stem cell therapy designed to repair joint damage and slow down osteoarthritis.
• Spinal Cord Injury Therapy – Griffith University received $6.8 million to develop a world-first treatment that could restore function after spinal cord injuries using transplanted stem cells.
• Motor Neuron Disease (MND) Research – The Florey Institute secured nearly $5 million to use patient-derived stem cells for drug testing, helping identify potential treatments that could keep motor neurons alive longer.

You can check out the full announcement to see who else got funding here.

Clearly, stem cell therapy is something the Australian government believes in—they wouldn’t be investing millions if they didn’t see real potential. In the next few years, expect BIG news to come out from these trials.

Should I Get Stem Cell Therapy in Australia?

Australia still tightly regulates stem cell therapy, and while research is making progress, most treatments aren’t available to the public yet. But Australia is investing big in the future of regenerative medicine, and breakthroughs are happening fast.

If you’re looking for treatment right now with high cell doses, you may need to explore options overseas like India, Thailand or Japan. If you specifically want umbilical cord derived Mesenchymal cells, Thailand’s the place. Check out the articles we shared earlier to help you make the right decision. When you’re ready to explore clinics, reach out to us here, we’d love to help!