New Delhi: Stem cell transplant in India costs a fraction of what it does abroad but the country has very few centres where the procedure can be done and not enough dedicated medical staff, says an expert.
Stem cell transplant, a process by which new cells are introduced into damaged tissue in order to treat disease or injury, has shown promise in treating various kinds of diseases, including some cancers.
However, there are only 10-11 centres in India where it can be done, says Lalit Kumar, professor of medical oncology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.
A stem cell transplant can cost up to Rs 10 million (Dh807,794) abroad, depending on the type of procedure, and the patient is asked to deposit the full amount before the transplant, Kumar told IANS.
Comparison
In comparison, in India it costs Rs 1-2 million in private hospitals, while in government hospitals it is much cheaper — Rs300,000-600,000 — depending on the type of procedure, he said.
According to Kumar, stem cell transplant has shown 50 per cent success in treating certain kinds of cancers and even more in other major conditions such as beta thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder, and aplastic anaemia, a condition where bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells. Stem cell transplant has shown 70-80 per cent success in treating non-malignant diseases like aplastic anaemia.
Stem cells can be taken from siblings or family members after tissue matching, known as allogeneic transplant, from the patient's blood, known as autologous transplant or can be harvested from a newborn's umbilical cord, which is a rich source of such cells.
Stem cell transplant, a process by which new cells are introduced into damaged tissue in order to treat disease or injury, has shown promise in treating various kinds of diseases, including some cancers.
However, there are only 10-11 centres in India where it can be done, says Lalit Kumar, professor of medical oncology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.
A stem cell transplant can cost up to Rs 10 million (Dh807,794) abroad, depending on the type of procedure, and the patient is asked to deposit the full amount before the transplant, Kumar told IANS.
Comparison
In comparison, in India it costs Rs 1-2 million in private hospitals, while in government hospitals it is much cheaper — Rs300,000-600,000 — depending on the type of procedure, he said.
According to Kumar, stem cell transplant has shown 50 per cent success in treating certain kinds of cancers and even more in other major conditions such as beta thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder, and aplastic anaemia, a condition where bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells. Stem cell transplant has shown 70-80 per cent success in treating non-malignant diseases like aplastic anaemia.
Stem cells can be taken from siblings or family members after tissue matching, known as allogeneic transplant, from the patient's blood, known as autologous transplant or can be harvested from a newborn's umbilical cord, which is a rich source of such cells.
