Stem cell bank, fertility center eyed to promote medical tourism in RP

Manila Bulletin

A stem cell banking facility and a fertility center are envisioned to be put up in the Philippines which will promote medical tourism and health research investments locally.
The government has been scouting for models in nearby Asian countries like Malaysia on stem cell banking and fertility centers to support its plan to set up a similar facility, according to officials of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
"We're looking at the possibility of setting up stem cell banking. It may be put up together with a fertility center which is the most logical thing to do," said NIH-Institute of Human Genetics (IHG) Asst. Director Eva Maria Cutiongco-dela Paz in an interview.
NIH officials have earlier visited Kuala Lumpur which has already set up a stem cell storage center. A stem cell bank will attract investments in health research and perhaps even in pharmaceuticals research specially as these two facilities attract also attract medical tourism patients globally.
Markets for a stem cell storage house are hospitals that are linked with universities like the Philippine General Hospital which is associated with the University of the Philippines (UP) and the UST Hospital, linked with the University of Sto. Tomas.
"It can have a pay for service (operation)," said Cutiongco. "It will be a resource for students and faculty to do research and for other hospitals in the Philippines for others to use as pay for service thing."
While the United States has been in a quandary for some time in its stem cells research policy until President Barack Obama approved a few months ago funding for this, certain aspects of the use of stem cells has been a recognized safe and successful treatment (specially bone marrow stem cell transplant) which can attract medical tourism patients, according to local medical experts.
Fertility centers can also attract medical tourists as Filipino couples themselves seek for services offered in fertility centers or medical institutions in the United States and other countries.
Cutiongco said the establishment of a stem cell storage center will also have an impact on investments in research in the country.
"We've not had research yet on this because we don't have the facility," she said.
And yet the Philippines is not yet too late in this sector since Kuala Lumpur has just put a stem cell storage center but has not yet carried out any therapy program on this.
"I just recently visited facilities in Kuala Lumpur. This is from the initiatives of the university (UP), and we looked at their stem cell banking. Their stem cell banking is quite advanced, but their stem cell therapy is not in place yet," said Cutiongco.
Dr. Gisela P. Concepcion, Vivotech Lab Inc. and cosmetic-nutraceutical product maker Biomart Asia founder, said a research collaboration between hospitals and the universities on the molecular biology and cell culture technology aspects would enhance the country's potential in this industry that can also offer affordable treatment for Filipinos.