✅ Medically reviewed
You have probably seen the bold promises online. Stronger erections. Better sensation. Renewed confidence. All from a quick injection of your own blood.
It sounds almost too good to be true. And that is exactly why so many men type the same question into Google late at night: does p shot work, or is it just clever marketing?
The honest answer sits somewhere between the hype and the scepticism. Some trials show real benefit. Others show almost none. Most clinic websites quote only the good news, and most sceptics quote only the bad.
This guide does something different. We walk you through the placebo-controlled trials, one positive and one negative. We explain why they disagree, what the meta-analyses conclude and where the major urology guidelines stand today.
Then we show you how Dr Abbas at Dr SNA Clinic uses this evidence to decide who should, and who should not, try the treatment. By the end, you will know more than most men who walk into a P-Shot consultation.
Why Placebo-Controlled Trials Matter for ED Treatments
Erectile dysfunction responds strongly to belief. Anxiety, confidence and expectation all shape erections. So when a man pays for a treatment and expects it to work, he often improves, even if the treatment itself does nothing.
The Power of Expectation
A placebo-controlled trial solves this problem. Researchers give one group real PRP and another group a dummy injection, usually saline. Neither the patients nor the assessors know who received what.
If both groups improve equally, the treatment adds nothing beyond expectation. Only a gap between the two groups proves that PRP itself is doing the work.
What “Clinically Meaningful” Means
Researchers usually track the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). They do not simply ask whether scores rose. They ask whether men crossed a threshold known as the minimal clinically important difference, the smallest change a patient actually notices in daily life.
That threshold keeps trials honest. A tiny score bump on paper means little if your sex life feels the same.
The Positive Trial: Poulios et al. (2021)
In 2021, Poulios and colleagues published a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. They tested PRP in men with erectile dysfunction and followed them for six months.
What the Researchers Found
The results looked encouraging. At six months, 69% of men on PRP reached a clinically meaningful improvement, compared with 27% on placebo.
That gap is large. It suggests PRP did far more than expectation alone could explain in this group of men.
Why This Study Stands Out
This trial gave the P-Shot its strongest scientific footing. It used blinding, a placebo arm and a clinically meaningful threshold rather than raw score changes.
Supporters of the treatment, including Dr SNA Clinic on its own P-Shot treatment in London page, cite this study as key evidence. However, one trial never settles a question on its own.
The Negative Trial: Masterson et al. (2023)
Two years later, Masterson and colleagues at the University of Miami ran their own double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. They published it in the Journal of Urology in 2023.
A Strong Placebo Response
This time, the picture changed. In that study, 58.3% of PRP patients and 53.6% of placebo patients met the improvement threshold, a difference that wasn’t significant.
Look closely at those numbers. PRP patients did improve. But placebo patients improved almost as much.
In other words, much of the benefit men felt likely came from expectation, attention and the ritual of treatment. The PRP itself added very little that the researchers could measure.
Why the Results Differ
So how can two well-designed trials reach opposite conclusions? The answer lies in the details of how each team prepared and delivered PRP.
Collection, Dosing and Follow-Up
A 2023 review of the four randomised controlled trials found wide differences in how researchers collected PRP, how they dosed it and how they followed patients up.
Some teams spun blood differently. Some used different volumes. Some gave a different number of injections at different intervals. Some measured outcomes at different time points.
PRP is not one standardised drug — it is a process, and that process varies from clinic to clinic. When two trials use different recipes, you cannot expect identical results.
Patient Selection Matters Too
The type of man enrolled also shapes the outcome. Men with mild, vascular-related ED may respond differently from men with severe ED or other causes. Differences in who joins a trial can push results up or down.
What the Meta-Analyses Say
A meta-analysis pools data from several trials to find the overall signal. For PRP in ED, the pooled evidence remains modest.
Reading the 2024 Review Carefully
A 2024 GRADE-assessed review of three RCTs (221 men) suggested short-term improvement lasting up to 6 months in mild-to-moderate ED.
That finding offers some hope, but note the limits. It covers only three trials. It covers fewer than 250 men. It applies only to mild-to-moderate ED. And the benefit it describes is short term.
Newer pooled analyses presented in 2026, covering more trials, reported no clear advantage of platelet-rich therapies over placebo. The research picture is still moving, and anyone who calls the P-Shot “proven” is overstating the evidence.
Where the Guidelines Stand (EAU, AUA)
Professional urology bodies take a cautious line.
The European Association of Urology (EAU) advises clinicians not to use PRP to treat ED outside the confines of a clinical trial. It rates that recommendation as weak, which reflects the limited evidence either way.
The American Urological Association (AUA) states in its ED guideline that clinicians should consider PRP therapy experimental, based on expert opinion.
Neither body says PRP is harmful — they say the evidence is not yet strong enough to recommend it routinely. That distinction matters when you weigh your options.
How Dr Abbas Uses This Evidence When Assessing Suitability
At Dr SNA Clinic London, Dr Abbas does not hide this mixed evidence from patients. The clinic’s own P-Shot page states that research into PRP for male sexual health is a developing field and that results vary between patients.
Dr Abbas will tell you plainly if he thinks the P-Shot is unlikely to help you. He reviews your history, medications and baseline erectile function before he recommends anything.
Who May Be a Good Candidate
According to Dr SNA Clinic, men with mild to moderate vascular-related ED tend to respond most consistently. This matches the trial and meta-analysis data, which show the clearest signal in milder cases.
The clinic also uses a dual-spin centrifuge protocol, which it states concentrates platelets more than standard single-spin methods. Dr Abbas performs every P-Shot personally, from blood draw to final injection.
Who Should Not Proceed
The clinic lists several situations where the treatment is not suitable:
- Active genital infection, including active STIs
- Bleeding disorders or platelet dysfunction
- Current anticoagulant therapy, unless your prescribing doctor clears a safe pause
- Ongoing cancer treatment in the pelvic region
- Allergy to local anaesthetics (discuss this at consultation)
Appointment Details, Timings and Prices
Here is what you need to know before you book, taken directly from the clinic’s published information:
- Address: 48 Wimpole Street, Marylebone, London W1G 8SF
- Opening hours: 10:00–18:00 (UK time)
- Phone: +44 7955 836986 (primary) or +44 20 3846 7111 (office)
- Email: info@drsnaclinic.com
- Consultation fee: £100, which the clinic credits against treatment if you proceed
- Standard P-Shot: £1,250, including dual-spin PRP
- Enhanced P-Shot + Shockwave: £1,350 (previously £1,750)
- Procedure time: 30–45 minutes, with no downtime
- Follow-ups: included at six weeks and twelve weeks
- Finance: 0% finance available
The clinic advises men to avoid sexual activity for four to five days after treatment. Most men return to work and driving the same day.
If you want to compare options in full, you can learn more on the clinic’s treatment page, or book a consultation directly.
Watch Before You Book
Many men prefer to hear from the doctor first. You can watch Dr Abbas explain regenerative treatments on the Dr SNA Clinic YouTube channel before you decide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the P-Shot just a placebo?
Not entirely, but placebo plays a big role. The Poulios trial showed a large gap between PRP and placebo. The Masterson trial showed almost none. Expectation clearly drives part of the benefit men report. Whether PRP adds a real effect on top likely depends on the protocol and the patient.
Why don’t NHS urologists offer the P-Shot?
NHS urology services follow evidence-based guidelines. The EAU advises against using PRP for ED outside clinical trials, and the AUA classes it as experimental. Until stronger evidence arrives, mainstream urology will not offer it as routine care.
How many clinical trials have tested PRP for ED?
A 2023 review identified four randomised controlled trials. The 2024 GRADE-assessed meta-analysis pooled three of them, covering 221 men. Researchers continue to publish new trials, so these numbers will keep growing.
Does dual-spin PRP make a difference?
Dual-spin processing concentrates platelets to a higher level than single-spin methods, according to Dr SNA Clinic. However, no head-to-head trial in this article’s evidence base compares the two in ED. The 2023 review did show that differences in preparation may explain why trial results vary.
Are P-Shot results permanent?
No. The 2024 meta-analysis suggested improvement lasting up to six months. Dr SNA Clinic reports that results last 12 months or more on average, and many men choose an annual maintenance session. Age, circulation and lifestyle all affect how long benefits last.
If you still have questions, contact the clinic team for a confidential chat about a PRP injection for erectile dysfunction.
Final Thoughts
So, does p shot work? For some men, it may — but the science has not yet given a clear yes.
One strong trial supports it. One equally careful trial does not. A 2024 meta-analysis hints at short-term benefit in mild-to-moderate ED, and the major guidelines still call it experimental.
The smartest step is not to chase promises, but to get an honest assessment. If you are considering the treatment, choose a doctor who will show you the evidence, explain the uncertainty and tell you when the P-Shot is not right for you. That is the approach Dr Abbas takes at Dr SNA Clinic on Wimpole Street, and it is the standard every man deserves.
Read More:
Priapus Shot Therapy: Timing It Before Big Events
P Shot and Kegels: Can Pelvic Floor Work Boost Results?
Mr Syed Nadeem Abbas, MBBS, MRCSEd, MSc Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (Distinction) Medical Director, Dr SNA Clinic 48 Wimpole Street, Marylebone, London W1G 8SF GMC Registered | CQC Regulated | Monday to Saturday 10:00–18:00 +44 7955 836986 | info@drsnaclinic.com
