Welcome to this week’s episode of the Iranian Market. As you know in the previous weeks we talked about the successful industry of health tourism in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This week, we’re going to continue discussing Iran’s achievements in the field of cell therapy.

In recent decades, the world of medicine has witnessed a great development which has heralded a high quality of life for all. Medicine has entered an unprecedented phase of its history in which transplant of bone marrow, heart, liver, kidney or DNA discovery and human genome, as well as treatment by stem cells are all considered as ordinary methods for curing diseases.

Today, the focus is not on treating with medicines anymore and credible research institutes are not that remarkable as before. Nowadays, the major efforts of medical centers have been concentrated on producing different types of human tissues and organs.

You may have heard about stem cells. Stem cells are the basic cells that are able to create any other cell in the body. Cells have specific purposes in body, but stem cells are the cells that do not have a specific role yet and can turn into almost any cell that is required.

Scientists are interested in stem cells as they help to explain how some of the body organs function, and how they go wrong.

Stem cells are used for curing some diseases that seem incurable. Stem cells originate from two main sources namely the adult body tissues and the embryos. Scientists are also working on ways to develop stem cells from other cells, using genetic reprogramming techniques.

Stem cells are found inside different types of tissue. Scientists have found stem cells in the tissues of brain, bone marrow, blood and blood vessels, muscles, skin, and liver.

Today, cell therapy is a method that after passing through different phases of research has entered the cycle of treatment of diseases. Cell therapy is a branch of medicine in which cellular material is injected, grafted or implanted into a patient's body.

The first bone marrow transplant in Iran was performed in 1990 and since then thousands of transplants have been performed which indicates the Islamic Republic’s notable development in this field.

According to official statistics, currently the Bone Marrow Transplantation Center at Shariati hospital in Tehran is one of the four leading centers of transplantation in the world due to the number of transplants performed and the number of beds.

Some 400 surgery operations are annually being undertaken in this center which has placed Iran among the four top countries in stem cell transplantation.

Among other Iranian medical centers which is considered as an appropriate destination for medical tourism is Helal Iran Pharmaceutical and Clinical Complex which was established in 1999.

This center takes action to provide patients with medical and rehabilitation services. As Helal Iran Pharmaceutical and Clinical Complex has a special international status and credit, patients from other nations find this center a reliable place for consultation and medical affairs.

Benefiting from specialty and subspecialty care centers in a standard space with employing skilled and qualified personnel, this complex provides both Iranian and foreign patients with a variety of medical services.

Safe and comfort accommodation services, hoteling and (airport-to-airport) transfer, travel insurance coverage, interpreter and various recreational tours are among other services that are rendered to patients and their companions during their stay in Iran.

Now, this complex welcomes patients from Asian and African countries such as Iraq, Arabia, Libya, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Tanzania, etc.

AE/RM/ME