Cell therapy medical tourism: time for action

Medical tourism may be defined as ‘ travel (usually international, occasionally local) to acquire healthcare, often on a temporary basis ’ . Cell therapy medical tourism is, by extension, travel for the purposes of acquiring cell therapy-related healthcare. In the USA, an estimated 750 000 individuals traveled for medical tourism in 2007 and this volume is projected to increase to 1.6 million patients by 2010. Similar trends in medical tourism are appearing in other countries. Globally, many countries offer cell therapies to international patients, especially in south-east Asia. A number of factors play a role in why so many people travel to seek cellular therapy treatments. First, there is an increasing elderly patient population with an attendant increase in degenerative and chronic diseases, many of which do not respond to standard therapies. Second, cellular therapy treatments are expensive, and the lower costs advertised by some clinics may drive international travel. Third, the internet and media interest have enabled and facilitated the proliferation of clinics advertising cellular therapies, with many making unfounded and dubious safety and effi cacy claims supported only by testimonials and anecdotes. Fourth, many patients, especially those in wealthier nations, have discretionary income for traveling for medical care, and the enormous media attention given to cellular and stem cell therapy research in recent years has convinced many that it is worthwhile to do so. In conclusion, cellular therapy medical tourism is here to stay. Although there are many legitimate cell therapies regulated appropriately by local authoritie, there are also many unethical and potentially dangerous cell therapies currently on offer. ISCT members are positioned uniquely to use their scientific, translational, ethical and regulatory expertise to help patients and the fi eld by ensuring the highest standards and ethical principles are employed. We have proposed several actionable steps to bring safe and effective cellular therapies to patients and to enable early access to promising experimental therapies and medical innovations. We look forward to working with the ISCT membership and the broader cell therapy community to achieve these goals.