Therapeutic journeys: the hopeful travails of stem cell tourists
The recent growth of so-called stem cell tourism reflects the high optimism that currently surrounds stem cell science. Stem cell treatments for various conditions are increasingly advertised over the Internet as being available at hospitals and clinics around the world. However, most are clinically...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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John Wiley & Sons
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/35487 |
| _version_ | 1848754510357331968 |
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| author | Petersen, A. Seear, Kathryn Munsie, M. |
| author_facet | Petersen, A. Seear, Kathryn Munsie, M. |
| author_sort | Petersen, A. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The recent growth of so-called stem cell tourism reflects the high optimism that currently surrounds stem cell science. Stem cell treatments for various conditions are increasingly advertised over the Internet as being available at hospitals and clinics around the world. However, most are clinically unproven. Despite numerous warnings from scientists about the dangers posed by such treatments, many individuals are evidently prepared to take the risk, sometimes on more than one occasion. This article explores the dynamics of hope that underpin stem cell tourism. Drawing on ideas from the sociology of hope, as applied to biomedicine, the article explores how hope is constructed and shapes actions in relation to stem cell treatments. Making reference to the findings from an Australian study of patients and carers who travelled overseas to receive stem cell treatments, it is argued that hope has an ambiguous significance in the context of deregulated health care. As we explain, this has implications for patients' and carers' treatment decisions and experiences. The findings are discussed in light of current responses to stem cell tourism. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:41:33Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-35487 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:41:33Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | John Wiley & Sons |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-354872017-09-13T15:25:36Z Therapeutic journeys: the hopeful travails of stem cell tourists Petersen, A. Seear, Kathryn Munsie, M. risk medical tourism patient experience stem cell tourism hope The recent growth of so-called stem cell tourism reflects the high optimism that currently surrounds stem cell science. Stem cell treatments for various conditions are increasingly advertised over the Internet as being available at hospitals and clinics around the world. However, most are clinically unproven. Despite numerous warnings from scientists about the dangers posed by such treatments, many individuals are evidently prepared to take the risk, sometimes on more than one occasion. This article explores the dynamics of hope that underpin stem cell tourism. Drawing on ideas from the sociology of hope, as applied to biomedicine, the article explores how hope is constructed and shapes actions in relation to stem cell treatments. Making reference to the findings from an Australian study of patients and carers who travelled overseas to receive stem cell treatments, it is argued that hope has an ambiguous significance in the context of deregulated health care. As we explain, this has implications for patients' and carers' treatment decisions and experiences. The findings are discussed in light of current responses to stem cell tourism. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/35487 10.1111/1467-9566.12092 John Wiley & Sons fulltext |
| spellingShingle | risk medical tourism patient experience stem cell tourism hope Petersen, A. Seear, Kathryn Munsie, M. Therapeutic journeys: the hopeful travails of stem cell tourists |
| title | Therapeutic journeys: the hopeful travails of stem cell tourists |
| title_full | Therapeutic journeys: the hopeful travails of stem cell tourists |
| title_fullStr | Therapeutic journeys: the hopeful travails of stem cell tourists |
| title_full_unstemmed | Therapeutic journeys: the hopeful travails of stem cell tourists |
| title_short | Therapeutic journeys: the hopeful travails of stem cell tourists |
| title_sort | therapeutic journeys: the hopeful travails of stem cell tourists |
| topic | risk medical tourism patient experience stem cell tourism hope |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/35487 |