Precision medicine and silver tourism amongst future trends in medical tourism

Southeast Asian markets are thriving in new treatment options.

A report showed some of the future trends that will be seen as Southeast Asian markets propel growth in medical tourism. 

According to IQVIA, markets are exploring the expanding array of precision medicine treatment options available in the region. 

For instance, Singapore’s approval of Kymriah, a chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, is expected to lure medical tourists from neighbouring countries because it is the only Southeast Asian market where the treatment is approved.

Thailand’s Bumrungrad International Hospital is also expanding their precision medicine services, offering comprehensive genetic testing services including next-generation sequencing 

Another trend, as IQVIA pointed out, is silver and wellness tourism as most Asian countries face increased ageing population.

“Healthcare providers and governments are launching programmes and initiatives to cater to this expanding market,” read the report.

An example of this is The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) which partnered with four integrated wellness residences in the capital to provide tailored senior care and wellness solutions, making Malaysia a destination for active retirement living.

Other trends include using digital tools to enhance patient experience, AI and machine learning to interact with medical tourists, and using blockchain tech for storing and sharing medical data.