Update on "Cell Therapy" Clinics Offering Treatments of Ocular Conditions Using Direct-To-Consumer Marketing Websites in the U.S.

In 2019 U.S.-based direct-to-consumer companies marketing NFACT persisted despite (1) a lack of high-quality clinical evidence supporting the efficacy of these procedures, (2) the association of some of these treatments with severe vision loss, and (3) increasing FDA oversight and recent legal action. In 2022 the number of clinics and companies decreased, but their persistence is a reminder that continued concern is necessary and ophthalmic associations need to continue advocacy efforts to protect patients from these potentially predatory organizations.