New Study Supports PRP for Female Sexual Function; O-Shot® Protocol Cited

Study cites original O-Shot® research and shows benefit using modified protocol

FAIRHOPE, Ala., April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cellular Medicine Association reports that a newly published randomized controlled trial in Obstetrics & Gynecology (the "Green Journal"), one of the most widely cited journals in women's health, found that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections into the anterior vaginal wall can improve sexual function in women.

The study, conducted by Clarke et al., found that women treated with PRP demonstrated greater improvement in sexual function scores compared with a control group, including higher rates of patient-reported improvement and no serious adverse events.

Coverage of the findings has already appeared in mainstream media, including an article distributed through MSN based on reporting by the Daily Mail, further highlighting increasing public interest in PRP-based treatments for women's sexual health. However, some media reports have used the term O-Shot® generically without distinguishing the specific protocol.

According to Charles Runels, MD, founder of the Cellular Medicine Association (CMA) and inventor of the O-Shot®, the study represents important progress—while also illustrating the importance of protocol.

"We are very encouraged to see a randomized controlled trial in a high-impact journal showing that PRP injections into the vaginal area can improve sexual function," said Dr. Runels. "The authors cited our original work, and the principle is the same. However, they did not perform the full O-Shot® procedure."

Dr. Runels first published the use of PRP injections into the vagina and clitoris for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction in 2014, marking the first peer-reviewed description of this approach. In the current study, investigators injected PRP only into the anterior vaginal wall and did not include clitoral injection, which Dr. Runels noted may explain why the magnitude of improvement was smaller than reported in earlier work.

"Their results are helpful because they confirm that even part of the procedure can be beneficial," said Dr. Runels. "At the same time, our prior studies suggest that including the clitoris and following the full protocol may produce a greater effect."

The O-Shot® is a specific, trademarked medical protocol (USPTO Serial No. 87948044) that includes defined methods of PRP preparation, activation, patient selection, injector qualifications, and injection technique. Use of the name is restricted worldwide to physicians and physician extenders who have completed training and agreed to follow the protocol through licensure with the Cellular Medicine Association.

Dr. Runels emphasized that the term is sometimes incorrectly used generically in media reports, and that distinction matters for both safety and outcomes.

"When the name O-Shot® is used without following the protocol, it can create confusion and less-than-optimal outcomes," he said. "This is not simply an injection—it is a defined method developed over more than a decade, supported by research and real-world clinical experience."

Patients seeking evaluation or treatment should locate providers licensed to perform the O-Shot® through the official directory:
https://oshot.info/members/directory

The full study can be accessed here:
https://journals.lww.com/10.1097/AOG.0000000000006256

The study and resulting media coverage have prompted renewed discussion among physicians and patients about how PRP should be properly performed. Dr. Runels is available for media interviews to discuss the study, the evolution of PRP-based treatments for female sexual function, and the distinction between standardized protocols and modified techniques used in research or clinical practice.

About the Cellular Medicine Association
Physicians of the Cellular Medicine Association conduct research and treat patients in the areas of esthetics, erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, orgasmic dysfunction in women, lichen sclerosus, and other treatments—using cellular therapies, especially blood-derived growth factors, including platelet-rich plasma.

Contact:
Charles Runels, MD
Founder
Cellular Medicine Association (CMA)
888-920-5311 phone
251-650-1251 fax
[email protected]
https://oshot.info
https://CellularMedicineAssociation.org

SOURCE Cellular Medicine Association