Therapeutic journeys: The hopeful travails of stem cell tourists

Abstract

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 acti..