Medical tourism for cellular therapy: a clinical perspective

Medical tourism in the field of cellular therapy has been increasing exponentially, especially in the past decade, due to multiple advances in the field. Our Viewpoint explores this growing field, with a specific focus on haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. We discuss the global status, regulatory challenges, and ethical considerations associated with medical tourism. We highlight benefits and drawbacks of medical tourism with regard to patient care and the impact on local health-care systems. We also address the crucial distinction between regulated, evidence-based cellular therapies and risky, unproven stem-cell tourism, which preys on vulnerable patients. We offer practical insights from our experience practicing in a regional cellular therapy hub and emphasise the importance of comprehensive patient support through a multidisciplinary team, telemedicine integration, and international collaboration to improve patient outcomes. Last, we provide perspective and suggestions on how medical tourism can be a catalyst for change within patients' countries of origin in order to improve global health-care equity.