P-Shot (PRP Penile Injection): What the Evidence Says

1What scientific bodies say (November 2026)

• PRP / P-Shot: the European Association of Urology recommends against using it for erectile dysfunction outside clinical research, and the American Urological Association considers it experimental.
• Low-intensity shockwave therapy: a weak recommendation in the 2025 European guidelines for mild vascular erectile dysfunction; a 2025 Cochrane review found a small short-term benefit, with low-quality evidence.
• The Sexual Medicine Society of North America regards all three “regenerative” treatments (PRP, shockwaves and stem cells) as experimental.

Details and sources: PRP and shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction: what do scientific bodies say?

2How is the P-Shot prepared?

A small amount of the patient’s blood is taken and spun in a centrifuge to separate plasma rich in platelets, which is then injected into the tissue of the penis after local anaesthetic. The theory is that growth factors in platelets may help repair tissue and blood vessels, but this has not been proven in large studies.

3What do the studies show?

• Most studies are small and short, and the way the plasma is prepared and the number of sessions differ between them.
• Results of studies comparing PRP with a placebo are conflicting, and some found no clear difference.
• There is no reliable success rate that can be given to a patient.
• There is no reliable evidence that it increases the length or size of the penis.

💡What about penile curvature (Peyronie’s disease)?

European guidelines do not recommend injecting PRP into the plaque except within clinical research. Read about Peyronie’s disease and its proven treatments.

5Does it have side effects?

Like any injection into the penis, it can cause temporary pain, bruising or swelling, and rarely infection. Because the studies are short, long-term safety data are limited.

💊Proven treatments for erectile dysfunction

• Lifestyle changes and treating risk factors.
• Tablets, the first treatment for most men.
• Injections of blood-vessel-widening medicines into the penis before sex, which are different from PRP injections.
• Shockwave therapy for selected cases.
• A penile implant when other treatments have not worked.

The first step is finding the cause. Read the full guide to erectile dysfunction: causes, diagnosis and treatment.

7Before you decide

• Ask: is the treatment being given within an approved research study?
• Be wary of promises of a “permanent cure” or high success rates without a source.
• Do not delay finding the cause: erectile dysfunction can be an early sign of heart disease.

❓Frequently asked questions

9Sources

1. EAU Guidelines 2025: Sexual and Reproductive Health
2. EAU Guidelines on Sexual and Reproductive Health: summary of changes 2022 (PRP)
3. Burnett AL et al. Erectile Dysfunction: AUA Guideline. J Urol 2018
4. Restorative Therapies for Erectile Dysfunction: Position Statement From the Sexual Medicine Society of North America. Sex Med 2021
5. Ergun O et al. Low-intensity shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2025