We break down whether Stem Cell Therapy actually is legal in Canada and what treatments you can get in Canada in 2025.

Is Stem Cell Therapy Legal in Canada in 2025

Yes, Stem Cell Therapy is legal in Canada in 2025 but only for the following treatments:

1.  Prochymal: an allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell product approved for treating acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in children.
2. Kymriah and Yescarta: CAR-T cell therapies for specific cancers (though technically not stem cells, they’re cited as cell-based therapy precedents).
3. Minimally manipulated hematopoietic stem cell transplants for blood disorders & immune deficiencies.

However, most other forms of stem cell therapy, including those for orthopedic injuries, arthritis, cosmetic use, or neurological disorders are not legally permitted. Canada’s health policy paper on Stem Cell Treatments covers this topic.

How does Health Canada Regulate Stem Cell Therapy

Health Canada takes stem cell therapy very seriously and very cautiously. Unlike some countries where clinics can offer these treatments freely, Canada has clear rules to protect patients from unproven or unsafe therapies.

Here’s the simple version:

“Most stem cell treatments, whether they use your own cells or someone else’s are considered “drugs” under Canadian law. And drugs can’t be sold, marketed, or used without going through the full approval process from Health Canada”

According to the Food and Drugs Act, if a stem cell treatment is:

• Processed or manipulated in any way (even slightly),
• Intended to treat or prevent a disease,
• Used for something other than its original function in the body.

It’s a drug. That includes common offerings like bone marrow or fat cell injections for joint pain, aging, or cosmetic purposes. Even if it’s your own cells being put back into your body, Health Canada still sees it as a drug that needs regulation. Health Canada talks about it here on their Consolidated Policy Statements.

Where can I get Stem Cell Therapy in Canada?

Legally, nowhere. Unless it’s for one of the 3 approved cases mentioned above. Some clinics try to argue that using a patient’s own cells means they’re exempt from regulation. But Health Canada has made it clear: that’s not true. Whether it’s your cells or donor cells, once they’re processed and used to treat a condition, they’re regulated like any drug.

Do Clinics in Canada still offer treatment? Yes, but they shouldn’t.

How much does Stem Cell Therapy in Canada cost?

Even though clinics shouldn’t be offering Stem Cell Therapy for most cases, we’ve seen costs start at around $6,000 CAD for autologous Stem Cell Injections.

Stem Cell Treatment Options in Other Countries

There’s a number of other countries you can visit to get Stem Cell Therapy, but you have to be careful. Regulations & stem cell quality aren’t all the same. Our article on Best Countries for Stem Cell Therapy might help & we’ve broken it down for you in this table:

Do Canadians Need Visas for: Colombia, Japan, South Korea, Dubai

Colombia: No. Able to enter the country for 90 Days without a Visa.

Japan: No. Able to enter the country for 90 Days without a Visa.

South Korea: No. Able to enter the country for 6 Months without. Visa.

Dubai:No. Able to enter the country for 30 Days without a Visa.

Stem Cell Technology Advancements in Canada

Canada’s $33M Boost for Stem Cell Research (June 2025)

• In June 2025, Canada’s Stem Cell Network (SCN) announced a major $33 million investment to accelerate regenerative medicine research across the country. 
• The funding includes $13.5 million in direct support from SCN and an additional $19.5 million from partner organizations. 
• In total, 36 new research projects and clinical trials are being launched, targeting 14 different disease areas. 
• These include rare conditions like Rett syndrome and cystic fibrosis, as well as more common illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. 
• Many of the projects aim to move beyond basic research and into real-world clinical trials, bringing next-generation stem cell treatments closer to patients in Canada. You can read more about it in this article from Stem Cell Network.

$49.9Million Investment into BioManufacturing Facilities

• In March 2025, the federal government provided $49.9 million to StemCell Technologies Canada in Burnaby to build two state-of-the-art biomanufacturing facilities. 
• These will produce critical components: reagents and media, used in cell and gene therapies, helping Canada scale up clinical and commercial manufacturing . It was announced in StemCell Technologies Canada’s press release here.