Stem Cell Therapy in India

Safe, Affordable, Legal Treatment

Do you know you can use your own body cells to fight diseases? Stem cell therapy in India is a safe, affordable, and legal treatment that relieves your ailments without any medicine.

We work with the top US institution which has brought a cutting edge therapy in India.

Dr. Anand Srivastava: What is Stem Cell Therapy?

Cost of Stem Cell Therapy in India

One may wonder, “how much does stem cell treatment cost in India?”. The Indian stem cell therapy ranges between $1,500 to $30,000 in India*, which further depends on the condition being treated. However, the same treatment costs approximately $10,000 to $55,000 in the USA.

*Disclaimer: This is an approximate cost range. The exact cost can only be known after a medical examination.

Therefore, the cost of stem cell therapy in India lets you save nearly 50% of the price back in the USA.^[1]Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases Cost of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in India “…Still, when compared to the cost of the transplant in Europe and USA where it ranges from $30,000 to $88,000 …the cost of the transplant in developing countries is much lower….” View in Article

Packages and Inclusions:

The packages for stem cells treatment in India include the following:

• Admission to the facility
• Stem cell extraction and priming dose
• Dose calculation and preparation
• Stem cell banking (Patient-specific for treatment duration)
• ECG, ECHO, Blood tests or any treatment-related lab tests
• Anesthesia fee
• Recovery stay at the hospital

Why India for Stem Cell Treatment?

There are many reasons why India is becoming a hub for medical tourists, especially for stem cell treatment.

Popular Therapy in India

Some diseases that have shown tremendous improvements with stem cells are hair loss, aging, diabetes, liver disease, osteoarthritis, etc^[3]Indian Journal of Medical Research Stem cell therapy: A novel & futuristic treatment modality for disaster injuries “…Haematopoietic disorders…Acute radiation syndrome…Musculoskeletal injuries… Spinal Cord Injuries…Burns and skin injuries…Gastrointestinal damages…Liver damage…Kidney damage…” View in Article. All these diseases are readily treated by Stem Cell Therapy in India at a reasonable cost.

Growing Popularity Among Medical Tourists

According to the Indian tourism ministry, the total number of medical tourists in India doubled from 2015 to 2017.^[4]CNN Health India wants to make medical tourism a $9 billion industry by 2020 “…In 2015, India ranked as the third most popular destination for medical tourism, w…By 2017, the number of arrivals more than doubled to 495,056, government figures show….” View in Article. The favorable climate, friendly

Low Cost of Living in India

Patients receiving stem cell treatment in India may be required to stay back longer. This is an important aspect that decides the medical travel practicality. India’s cost of living is 65% less than that in the USA, so you will save a lot of money even while traveling with an attendant. ^[5]Deccan Herald India’s rise as hub of medical tourism “…Cost of living in India is 66.54% lower than in the US (aggregate data for all cities, rent is not considered). Rent in India is 85.47% lower than in US…” View in Article

English Speaking Country

There are quite a few medical tourist destinations in Asia which provide quality treatment. When deciding among China and India, people usually turn to India because of the high availability of English speaking people in India. ^[6]Harvard Business Review As Covid-19 Disrupts Global Supply Chains, Will Companies Turn to India? “…”While U.S. companies are looking for alternatives to China, India becomes a natural destination. You have an English speaking workforce, highly skilled, the cost of labor is cheap…” View in Article

Partner Hospital for Stem Cell Therapy in India

Medical Tourism Corporation has partnered with the Global Institute Of Stem Cell Therapy and Research (GIOSTAR). It is headquartered in San Diego, California (U.S.A.), and has branches spread out in Mexico and India.

Stem Cell Hospital in India

Objective:

GIOSTAR was formed with the vision to provide stem cell-based therapy to aid those suffering from autoimmune or degenerative diseases around the world.

Key Highlights:

Approved Treatment

Bone marrow stem cells are approved for blood cancer and different blood disorders.^[7]PR News GIOSTAR Launches Stem Cell / Cancer Research and Therapy Center in Chandigarh, India “…Conditional approval for Type 2 Diabetes clinical trial in the Bahamas, where nearly 15% of the population suffers from the disease….” View in Article. Apart from this, stem cells have received IND approval for a treatment for diabetes, COVID-19, etc.

Multiple Branches in India:

Giostar has multiple locationsin India. Their branches in Chandigarh, Delhi, and Ahmedabad.

Government Approved Projects

GIOSTAR has signed MoU with the Indian Government to provide stem cell treatment in various parts of the country. Also, it is an official collaborator of the Government of Gujarat state.

Founder of GIOSTAR- Dr Anand Srivastava

Dr. Anand Srivastava is the Chairman, Co-founder, and Chief Scientific Officer at GIOSTAR.

• Awarded USA Congressional Recognition award for his contribution to Stem Cell Science.
• Worked for a stem cell program at the University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
• Worked for the Japanese Research Institute for developing a genomic program, Japan.
• Various publications related to stem cell research in revered scientific journals.
• Established Stem cell therapy for various autoimmune diseases and blood disorders with his team.

Locations for Stem Cell Treatment in India

Indian Stem Cell Treatment in India is available in the following locations:

What are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are pluripotent cells that can divide and differentiate into specialized cells until a stopping stimulus is received. These are the first cells to form during embryo formation, and these stay in the human body throughout their lifetime.

Stem cells can be divided into many different types depending on various factors. These are:

Donor

Two main types of stem cells are known, based on who donates them:

• Autologous stem cells are taken from the patient’s own body.
• Allogeneic stem cells are extracted from a healthy donor’s body and injected into the patient’s body.

Potency

• Totipotent MSCs: these are able to differentiate into all types of cells and then able to create all the embryo tissues, including embryonic appendages such as the placenta and the cord. Typically, embryonic cells retain this ability for up to 4–5 days after the formation of the zygote.
• Pluripotent MSCs: they have the ability to generate the cells of the three germ layers.
• Multipotent MSCs: they generate the cells that are derived from the same germ layer
• Specific tissue MSCs: these cells retain the ability to generate their own tissue cells in which they reside.

Mode of Origin

Embryonic Stem Cells

• Obtained from an embryo (dead or alive).
• At least three-to-five days old cells are effective in treatment.

Adult Stem Cells

• Found in most adult tissues of the body.
• Limited ability to divide into other cells of the body.

Some of the adult stem cells used during treatment of diseases are:

• Adipose adult mesenchymal stem cells (Fat Tissues)
• Hematopoietic Stem cells (Bone Marrow)
• Epithelial stem cells (Gut Lining)

Advantages of Adult Mesenchymal Cells

There are many advantages to using adult mesenchymal stem cells^[9]Journal of Cells Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine “…Three MSC properties make them optimal for tissue regeneration: (1) Immunoregulator…(2) paracrine or autocrine functions…(3) the ability to differentiate into target cells…” View in Article. These are as follows:

• Easily available in the adipose tissue (fat) stored in the body.
• If need be, can be harvested multiple times without loss of potency.
• Stem cells are extracted using liposuction techniques which do not leave any visible scar.
• The stem cell extraction process is quick.
• Adult stem cells are legal all over the world, unlike embryonic cells.
• No problem with immune rejection.
• No need for the major surgical process (exception in diabetes patient where the doctor may give you a stitch to heal the wound)
• Painless procedure

Drawbacks of Adult Mesenchymal Cells

• Cannot be grown in culture for longer than 3-6 months.
• Difficult to extract in extremely thin patients. Therefore, the patient’s own cells cannot be used for treatment.
• Patients may suffer from treatment-related side effects, eg, in the case of Intrathecal injections, they may experience headaches, eye pain, fever, etc.

What is Regenerative Medicine?

The branch of science that deals with replacing dead cells with new cells or tissues is called regenerative medicine. As stem cells have the capacity to renew and replace old cells, these are considered a part of regenerative medicine.

Diseases Treated Using Stem Cell Therapy

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the inflammation of the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones. It affects the joints in the hands, knees, hips, and spine.

A doctor usually provides pain relievers to an osteoarthritis patient; however, these may have side effects. For example, taking excess of Acetaminophen can cause damage to the liver. ^[10]Mayo Clinic Osteoarthritis “…Acetaminophen. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) has been shown to help some people with osteoarthritis who have mild to moderate pain. Taking more than the recommended dose of acetaminophen can cause liver damage….” View in Article

Stem cell therapy for Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, is a safe approach. According to a study conducted on arthritis patients, mesenchymal cells resulted in clinical and functional improvement of the knee movement. ^[11]National Library of Medicine Intra-articular injection of two different doses of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells versus hyaluronic acid in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial (phase I/II) “…The single intraarticular injection of in vitro expanded autologous BM-MSCs together with HA is a safe and feasible procedure that results in clinical and functional improvement of knee OA…” View in Article

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is a respiratory disorder where a person finds it hard to breathe. It also involves a long-term cough with mucus formation.

There is currently no cure for COPD, but inhalers and abstinence from smoking can reduce the disease progression.

Stem cell therapy for COPD is yet in its infant stage. However, a phase II clinical trial with IV mesenchymal cells shows effective results and was safe after a 2-year follow-up.^[12]Americal Journal of Stem Cells Stem cell therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. How far is it to the clinic? “…The phase II clinical trial in COPD patients showed that iv MSCs (100 million cells in total) is safe for the 2-year follow up periods….” View in Article

Type -2 Diabetes

Type-2 Diabetes is a disease that increases the blood sugar level as the body is unable to utilize the insulin as it should have.
A common treatment for diabetes type -2 includes giving metformin to the patient. It has common side effects like stomach discomfort, fever or chills, painful or difficult urination, etc.

Stem cell therapy for type- 2 diabetes is a novel approach that treats the disease without any notable side effects. Many clinical trials conducted that treated type-2 diabetes patients with stem cells showed a significant decrease in external insulin therapy. ^[13]Americal Journal of Stem Cells Current progress of human trials using stem cell therapy as a treatment for diabetes mellitus “…Overall, stem cell treatment shows prospective advantages over insulin injections …ongoing clinical trials suggest that this therapy may be a viable treatment option for diabetics in the near future…” View in Article

Our partner hospital, Giostar is in the process of obtaining FDA approval for stem cell treatment for Type-2 Diabetes in the USA.^[14]Giostar GIOSTAR in Process of US FDA Approval for Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Trial “…Global Institute of Stem Cell Therapy and Research (GIOSTAR),… they are in the process of approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct type 2 diabetes clinical trials…” View in Article

Read more about stem cell treatment for Diabetes in India here.

Hair Loss

Hair loss is a grave issue that affects males more than females. There can be many reasons that promote hair loss, like alopecia, genetic inheritance, stress, pollution. However, there are very limited options that provide long term results.

Using stem cells for hair loss is one such treatment but it does not have any side effects. Moreover, a clinical trial suggested an increase in hair count and a significant improvement in hair diameter when patients received adipose‐derived stem cells. ^[15]Stem Cells Journal A randomized, double‐blind, vehicle‐controlled clinical study of hair regeneration using adipose‐derived stem cell constituent extract in androgenetic alopecia “…The phototrichogram at week 8 showed more increase in hair count in the IG than in the CG, and intergroup differences in the change of hair count remained significant until week 16 …” View in Article

Liver Disease

Liver Disease is a group of diseases affecting the liver. These may be due to substance abuse or poison like liver cirrhosis and fatty liver. Or it may be due to a virus, eg Hepatitis, A, B, and C.

Some liver disease can be treated with certain lifestyle modifications like stopping alcohol consumption, while others may even need surgery. Stem cell therapy for the liver disease has also attracted many due to promising results.

Many trials have shown the efficacy of stem cells in liver cirrhosis treatment. Even though the sample size was small, yet it is clear that no critical complications occurred after the procedures. ^[16]Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Current Perspectives Regarding Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Liver Cirrhosis “…Although the precise mechanisms are still unresolved, the findings from those studies with small sample sizes have provided assurance that no critical complications occurred after the procedures. Furthermore, the posttransplantation incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma was not increased despite the enduring concern….” View in Article

Read here about stem cell therapy for liver disease in India.

Anti-Aging

The process of growing older is termed as Aging. It is not a disease, however, it is a cause of many age-related diseases^[19]NIH-HHS Public Access Is Aging a Disease? Biodemographers’ Point of View “…aging differs from disease in the same way that cause differs from effect. Aging is the cause of many age-related diseases….” View in Articlelike arthritis, cardiovascular, type-2 diabetes, hypertension, etc.

Old people also suffer from slow metabolism, loose skin, and slower wound healing. These things make them more prone to diseases. Stem cells against aging can help older people in relieving all these factors and improve their lifestyle^[20]BMB Reports Online Impact of mesenchymal stem cell senescence on inflammaging “…..MSC treatment has emerged as an anti-aging therapy because of its unique immunomodulatory…clinical feasibility, including anti-aging therapy….” View in Article.

Sports Injury

Sports injuries are caused due to overuse of a muscle, direct impact on a body part, or excessive force is applied using the muscle which is more than its natural limit.

A sports injury can be simple like a bruise or it may offer lifelong obstruction to the smooth functioning of the body like a rotator cuff.

Some doctors prefer using Stem cells for sports injury as these carry the potential to repair and offer functional plasticity following a sports injury.^[18]Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Regenerative Medicine for the Musculoskeletal System Based on Muscle-derived Stem Cells “…Taken together, this evidence suggests that muscle-derived stem cells are well suited for gene therapy and tissue engineering applications for the musculoskeletal system…” View in Article

FAQ

What is a booster dose of stem cells? Will I be charged extra for the booster dose?

Sometimes due to the extreme disease conditions or associated comorbidities, a patient may require an extra dose apart from the standard treatment. That extra dose is called an “elective booster “.

You will be informed in case you need a booster dose. Since it is an additional dose, it will be charged extra.

What happens if my cell dosage is left after the treatment?

Usually, there are no extra cells left after the treatment is over. This is because the doses are calculated and stored solely for the patient’s use. If in a rare case, any residual is left, then it is discarded.

Are the results quick with stem cells? When will my symptoms improve?

With stem cells, you will observe that your improvement in your quality of life after 4-5 weeks of the second dose. Usually, the regeneration of new cells begins after 5-6 months “after” the third session.

However, the treatment with stem cells is greatly affected by certain factors like the severity of damaged cells, the patient’s motivation towards receiving treatment, abstinence, and lifestyle changes, etc.

Does stem cell therapy work for cancer patients?

Stem cell therapy may work for cancer patients by improving their quality of life (QOL), life expectancy, alleviation in pain, improved metabolism, etc. However, cancer cellular immunotherapy is a better approach for cancer treatment. Please contact your doctor for more information.

Patient Review

Mr. Vizar Ali, 60 years, from Maharashtra came to know about stem cell therapy for his liver disease from his relatives. He found the doctor’s team very cooperative and caring for the patient.

After 10 months after his first cycle, his lab reports have improved. His blood reports showed tremendous improvement with upregulated Hb and Platelet count which went from 24,000 to 45,000. along with protein albumin.

Mr. Vizar is very happy with his results and with the improved quality of his life.

Satisfied Client: Stem cells therapy for Liver Disease in India

Another patient, Megha, 30, from Uttar Pradesh India, suffered from trauma-induced osteoarthritis in her left knee following an accident.
She experienced extreme pain while performing her daily chores. Even climbing 10-stairs was a herculean task for her. She received her stem cell treatment which helped in her cartilage regeneration.
After 2 sessions, she has seen tremendous improvement in her conditions. Now she is able to climb 3 floors without a flinch. She is enjoying her active life after mesenchymal stem cells therapy.

Satisfied Client: Stem cells therapy for Osteoarthritis in India

References

1. CNN Health: India wants to make medical tourism a $9 billion industry by 2020
2. Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases: Cost of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in India
3. National Apex Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy: Welcome to the Official Website of the NAC-SCRT
4. CNN Health: India wants to make medical tourism a $9 billion industry by 2020
5. Deccan Herald: India’s rise as hub of medical tourism
6. Harvard Business Review: As Covid-19 Disrupts Global Supply Chains, Will Companies Turn to India?
7. PR News: GIOSTAR Launches Stem Cell / Cancer Research and Therapy Center in Chandigarh, India
8. Global Data Lab: Subnational Human Development Index (4.0)
9. Journal of Cells: Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine
10. Mayo Clinic: Osteoarthritis
11. National Library of Medicine: Intra-articular injection of two different doses of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells versus hyaluronic acid in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial (phase I/II)
12. Americal Journal of Stem Cells: Stem cell therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. How far is it to the clinic?
13. Americal Journal of Stem Cells: Current progress of human trials using stem cell therapy as a treatment for diabetes mellitus
14. Giostar: GIOSTAR in Process of US FDA Approval for Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Trial
15. Stem Cells Journal: A randomized, double‐blind, vehicle‐controlled clinical study of hair regeneration using adipose‐derived stem cell constituent extract in androgenetic alopecia
16. Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology: Current Perspectives Regarding Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Liver Cirrhosis