FMT is only licensed for use in the UK in patients suffering from an infection of the bowel caused by a bacterium called C.difficile (C.diff). The mainstay of treatment for C.diff infection involves rehydration therapy and antibiotics. In the majority of patients this is effective, however, the infection recurs in 25-30% of patients and further antibiotic therapy gives diminishing rates of cure.
FMT has been shown to be the most successful treatment for recurrent C.diff infection, with primary cure rates of between 81-94% reported in the medical and scientific literature.
There are trials investigating the use of FMT in patients with other conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) however, further research is needed before FMT becomes a licensed treatment option in these patients.