ABSTRACT
Stem cell tourism is a global phenomenon. People travel across geographical borders and jurisdictions to buy unproven stem cell ‘treatments’. We present a sociological case study, the X-Cell Center in Germany – once a popular destination of choice for stem cell travellers, shut down by regulators in 2010 after several deaths occurred. We offer a perspective on the conditions that enable stem cell tourism including public perceptions of safety, national stereotypes, personalized care offered to clients, ambiguous regulation and public belief in the power of stem cells.
