Orthobiologics is a subset of regenerative medicine, which focuses on treating the musculoskeletal system. The main therapeutics utilized include platelet-rich plasma, stem cells, exosomes, and scaffolding matrices. Continuous discoveries and new innovations have led to an increase in both popularity and usage of these therapeutics by various medical and scientific communities. Despite its potential, however, the field is viewed with significant skepticism secondary to poor documentation, a lack of standardization, vague nomenclature, disorganized research protocols, and an absence of a clear understanding of the mechanisms underlying the effects of the various therapeutics. This ambiguity led to a surge in direct-to-consumer marketing by “Stem Cell Clinics”, putting patient’s health at risk and further delegitimizing the field. These shortcomings led to a recent push for standardization by both professionals and organizations alike; a move that has put Orthobiologics on the path toward becoming a guideline-driven, protocol-based, and research-backed specialty. And with these rapid changes comes the need for an updated definition of “Orthobiologics”, a crucial element of any legitimate and standardized medical field.
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