Frequently asked questions

For most conditions, no. Stem cell therapies are not FDA approved for the orthopedic, autoimmune, neurological, or longevity indications we treat. They are provided in México under the Mexican regulatory framework (COFEPRIS), by licensed Mexican physicians, under explicit written informed consent.

The difference is the legal and regulatory framework, not the standard of the medicine. The physicians, the lab, and the protocols are held to international clinical standards. If FDA-approval status is a hard line for you, this is not the right care setting, tell us on the consult and we will say so.

Updated systematic reviews of intravenous mesenchymal stem cell administration across many disease contexts continue to report favorable safety profiles, with adverse events typically mild, transient, and self-limited, most commonly short-lived flushing, mild fatigue, or low-grade fever in the first 24 to 48 hours.

No medical procedure is risk-free. The protocol-specific risk profile is reviewed with you in writing during informed consent, before anything is scheduled.

Yes. Regenerative cell therapies are provided in México under the country's regulatory framework administered by COFEPRIS, by licensed, independent Mexican physicians acting in their clinical discretion, in accredited facilities, and under written informed consent.

Our primary cell type is Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells derived from donated umbilical cord tissue, processed in an ISO-accredited, GMP-standard laboratory. Donors are screened, and cells are tested for viability, sterility, and identity, with results documented before every application. Autologous (your own) options are available for certain protocols.

There is no fixed age cutoff, candidacy is physiological, not chronological. For older patients, the physician pays particular attention to cardiovascular, hepatic, and renal function and to current medications before approving a protocol.

Pediatric cases are limited to specific investigational programs, such as the autism protocol, and always require guardian consent and individual physician review.

Yes. Every dose is cultured and released by an ISO-accredited, GMP-standard laboratory. Cells are tested for viability, sterility, and identity, and the results are documented before the dose is administered. The laboratory operates under COFEPRIS, the Mexican federal health authority.

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells are immune-privileged: they carry very low levels of the surface markers that trigger rejection, which is why allogeneic (donor) cells are used without tissue matching or immunosuppression. Published safety reviews report no rejection-type reactions for this cell type. The physician reviews your case for any reason this would not apply to you.

It varies a great deal by indication, and you deserve the honest version. Regenerative cell therapy is an emerging field still in the early stages of clinical research. The evidence is strongest, though still maturing, for orthopedic and joint conditions, where multiple controlled trials show meaningful pain and function benefit.

It is more preliminary for autoimmune, neurological, longevity, and neurodevelopmental uses, where results are promising in select areas but come from smaller or earlier-stage studies. Across the board, these should be regarded as early-stage, non-guaranteed procedures rather than proven or established cures. We match what we say to the strength of the evidence for your specific case, and we will tell you plainly where it is thin.

The evidence here is early and unproven. Cell therapy for autism is investigational: a small number of early-phase trials have reported signals worth studying, but there is no large, replicated, controlled evidence that it is effective, and it is not an approved or established treatment for autism anywhere.

We do not claim it treats, reverses, or cures autism, and we will never promise a behavioral or developmental outcome. Any autism protocol is offered strictly as investigational care, with that uncertainty stated plainly in writing, and only after a physician reviews the individual case. Families should regard it as an early-stage, non-guaranteed option, not established medicine.

No, and anyone who does should concern you. Regenerative medicine is an emerging field; individual results vary, not every patient is a candidate, and no outcome, benefit, timeline, or cure is promised. The evidence supports a directional case for many of our indications, not a deterministic one, and it is weaker for some than others. We tell you honestly where your specific case sits.

The difference is regulatory, not medical. The higher cell doses and allogeneic cord-derived protocols offered here are not FDA-approved for these indications in the United States, so they are not widely available there. In México they are permitted under COFEPRIS. The physicians, laboratory, and protocols are held to international clinical standards.

Board-certified Mexican physicians deliver care in accredited surgical facilities: Hospital Blue Medical Tower in Tijuana, about 20 minutes from the San Diego border, and Centro Quirúrgico Mayan in downtown Cancún. You can read the physicians’ bios on the About page.

The medicine is the same at both clinics: the same protocols, the same laboratory standards, and board-certified physicians. The choice is about travel. Tijuana is the practical option from the U.S. West Coast, about 20 minutes from the San Diego border with chauffeured transport included. Cancún has nonstop flights from 50+ U.S. and Canadian cities with no border crossing, and many patients pair treatment with recovery days in the Hotel Zone.

The main areas are orthopedic and joint conditions (osteoarthritis, tendon and cartilage injury), autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, peripheral neuropathy, anti-aging and longevity protocols, and neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism as investigational care. Candidacy is always determined by a physician after reviewing your history, imaging, and labs. See the treatments overview.

Most protocols use umbilical cord-derived (Wharton's jelly) mesenchymal stem cells, chosen for their immunomodulatory profile. We also offer Muse cells, a distinct stress-enduring subset, and cell-free exosome (extracellular vesicle) infusions, selected by the physician based on your case.

Delivery depends on the condition. Localized joint or tendon problems are treated with image-guided injection at the site; systemic conditions such as neuropathy, autoimmune disease, and longevity protocols use intravenous infusion. Some protocols combine both. The route is chosen by the physician.

Muse cells (multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring cells) are a naturally occurring subset of mesenchymal stem cells with notable homing and stress-tolerance characteristics. They are used in select protocols where those properties may be advantageous. See the Muse page for detail.

Common reasons include end-stage, bone-on-bone joint disease better addressed by replacement surgery; active, uncontrolled inflammatory or autoimmune disease that a specialist must stabilize first; active malignancy or recent cancer treatment without oncology clearance; active infection; pregnancy or breastfeeding; and severe uncontrolled cardiovascular, hepatic, or renal disease.

If you are not a candidate, we will tell you on the consult. There is no pressure to proceed.

After you submit the contact form with a brief history, the concierge schedules a video call with a board-certified physician. The physician reviews your history, imaging, and labs, tells you whether you are a realistic candidate, and, if you are, proposes a specific protocol: cell type, dose, delivery route, and schedule, followed by an itemized written quote.

There is no charge and no obligation, and if you are not a candidate, we say so directly.

For joint and orthopedic cases: recent imaging (MRI is ideal, X-ray is acceptable) and a brief history of the problem. For systemic, autoimmune, and neurological cases: recent labs, your current medication list, and any relevant specialist notes.

Don't hold off because something is missing, send what you have, and the concierge will tell you exactly what the physician still needs.

Cell doses are calculated per patient from body weight, height, indication, and history, as required under COFEPRIS regulation, so no two doses are identical. Joint protocols are sized to the joint and the stage of disease; systemic infusions scale with body weight. Your written protocol states the planned dose before you travel.

Stem cells are living cells that engraft briefly, respond to the local environment, and release signaling molecules over time. Exosomes are the cell-free vesicles that carry those signals, with no living cells involved. Exosomes are used alone for skin, hair, and some systemic protocols, or added to a cell dose to extend its anti-inflammatory signaling. The physician chooses the combination for your case.

Yes, as investigational care. Protocols for spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and post-concussion symptoms combine intravenous and, in selected cases, intrathecal delivery, with the aim of reducing chronic neuroinflammation and supporting repair. Evidence in this area is early and results are not guaranteed. A physician reviews each of these cases individually. See the spinal cord and brain injury protocols.

Yes. Disc, facet, and sacroiliac protocols use image-guided injection at the level involved, sometimes paired with a systemic dose. Candidacy depends on imaging: degenerative disc disease and facet-driven pain are common indications, while severe instability or cord compression is a surgical question first. See the back pain, disc and spine protocols.

Yes, with intravenous protocols for relapsing-remitting and progressive MS, offered as investigational care. The aim is to reduce neuroinflammation and slow progression rather than reverse existing damage, and the evidence, while promising in early trials, is not yet established. Read the multiple sclerosis program before enquiring.

Single-joint umbilical cord MSC protocols typically begin in the mid-five-figure range (USD), with dose and combination therapy affecting price; bilateral, multi-joint, and systemic protocols are quoted per case. The consultation is complimentary and you receive an itemized written quote before anything is scheduled. Try the cost page for a non-binding estimate.

U.S. insurance typically does not cover regenerative cellular therapy because most protocols are not FDA-approved. Many patients use HSA or FSA funds, or medical financing. We provide an itemized quote you can submit or use for planning.

Many single-joint procedures are same-day, and some patients fly home the following day. Systemic and multi-session protocols, and the autism program, may involve a 3 to 5 day stay. Your exact schedule is confirmed in the virtual pre-consultation, and the concierge coordinates hotel, ground transport, and follow-up. See Travel & concierge.

For Tijuana, it is about 20 minutes from the San Diego border to Hospital Blue. A private chauffeur picks you up from your San Diego hotel, handles the border crossing, and brings you to the clinic, with an English-fluent concierge managing scheduling, hotel, and post-procedure check-ins.

Many patients do, especially in Cancún, where the clinic is minutes from the Hotel Zone. The usual pattern is treatment early in the trip with recovery days after. Your physician sets clear post-procedure guidelines, typically limits on sun, pools, alcohol, and strenuous activity in the first days, and the concierge can plan the itinerary around them.

Yes, and we encourage it. Companions ride in the same private vehicle at no extra charge, are welcome at consultations and visits where appropriate, and can stay at our partner hotels at the same rate.

English and Spanish. Your coordinator, the physicians, and the on-site escort are bilingual, and consent forms and your written protocol are provided in English.

It varies by condition and person. For joint protocols, functional changes typically begin in the 4 to 6 week window and peak at 3 to 6 months. Neuropathy and systemic protocols often show first signals within weeks, with the primary assessment at 3 to 6 months. Some people notice little or no change, results are individual and not guaranteed.

Published joint-therapy trials show pain and function gains sustained at 12 months, with some cohorts maintaining benefit at two years and beyond. Durability differs by condition, severity, and individual biology, and some patients consider maintenance treatment. We discuss realistic durability for your specific case at the consult.

Structured follow-up is part of every protocol, typically remote check-ins at intervals such as 2, 6, and 12 weeks (and 30/60/90 days for some programs), with progress tracked against your documented baseline. Your care team remains reachable between check-ins.

Many joint protocols are completed in a single visit. Systemic, autoimmune, neurological, and longevity protocols may be staged across more than one session over several months, and some patients later choose maintenance treatment.

The expected number of sessions is stated in your written plan and quote before you travel, you should never be discovering additional required sessions after the fact.

NSAIDs and corticosteroids are usually paused before and after a cell protocol because they blunt the regenerative response; blood thinners may need a brief hold, and immunosuppressants are reviewed case by case. After treatment, expect limits on strenuous activity, alcohol, sun, and pools for the first days. You receive a written medication and activity plan before you travel, coordinated with your prescribing physician.