The lure of a miracle cure is strong, even if it involves someone else's excrement. Faecal transplants are rising in popularity around the world, and being used to treat an increasingly wide range of conditions. But concern, too, is growing among doctors about the potential for side effects. A survey of faecal transplant practitioners carried out by New Scientist reveals anecdotal reports of patients showing unexpected symptoms after the procedure. Faecal transplants are thought to work by overhauling an unwell person's gut microbes by introducing those of a healthy donor. Clinical trials have shown that this works for people with otherwise untreatable Clostridium difficile infections - banishing the potentially fatal bacterial infection 90 per cent of the time. When it comes to other disorders, though, there is not enough evidence to say whether the procedure works. That hasn't stopped clinics and online forums recommending the procedure for everything from irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis to depression, arthritis, Alzheimer's and even autism.
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