Short answer: Before you pay a stem cell clinic anything, put the 10 questions below to it in writing and keep the replies. The questions come from the patient guide of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), the US FDA's consumer page and Thai news reports on clinic licensing, all read on 7 November 2026. The "good sign" and "warning sign" columns are our reading of those sources, not a legal test. This page does not name or rate any clinic.
The ISSCR says you should ask many questions about a stem cell treatment, seek a second opinion from an independent, qualified doctor, and not be "rushed or financially enticed" into deciding. Its guide has long question lists. This page picks the ones that matter most for a traveler to Bangkok and adds a column that tells you what a good answer and a worrying answer sound like.
How to use this list
- Send the questions by email, not by phone or chat. A written answer is something you can reread, show to your own doctor and keep. This is our suggestion. The ISSCR says you should receive a signed consent form with a copy for you, and that records, protocols and consent documents should go to whoever gives you a second opinion.
- Ask every clinic the same questions, so you can compare the answers.
- Keep every reply with its date, the sender's name and any attachments.
- Do not pay a deposit while questions are open. The ISSCR says you should not be rushed or financially enticed.
- Show the answers to a doctor you trust at home. The ISSCR says a second opinion is encouraged and that your own doctor should help you get one.
The 10 questions
| # | Question | A good sign in the answer | A warning sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who is the doctor in charge, and what is their Thai Medical Council license number? | A full name, a license number and a specialty that fits your condition. The ISSCR says the doctors involved should specialize in your condition, and asks "What specialized training does this doctor have?" Pattaya Mail reports the Medical Council's secretary-general advising the public to check that clinics clearly display their name, license number and attending physician. | Only a first name, "our medical team," or no number. The ISSCR says to ask who the doctor in charge is and how well trained the rest of the staff are. |
| 2 | What is the clinic's facility license number, and who operates it? | A license number you can search at hosp.hss.moph.go.th, where Pattaya Mail says the record shows the clinic's name and address, license type, operator, medical personnel and current status. | No record found, or an expired license. Pattaya Mail reports that if no record appears, or the license is expired or revoked, the facility may not be authorized to operate. |
| 3 | What exactly is the cell product? Your own cells or a donor's? Only separated, or grown in a lab? Is the product registered in Thailand, or is this a research protocol? | A plain description of the source and the processing. For a registered product, a Thai FDA registration number. For research, the ISSCR says protocols should be reviewed by independent experts and signed off by an ethics committee, so ask who signed off the protocol and when that expires, and ask for the consent form. Nation Thailand reports that cells expanded in culture or digested with enzymes now need Thai FDA registration. | "Proprietary stem cells" with no source named, or a claim that no registration is needed. The ISSCR lists "claims that regulatory approval isn't needed" as a warning sign, and says oversight is required in many places even when cells are taken from a patient and returned to the same patient. The FDA says a firm being registered, or a listing on clinicaltrials.gov, does not mean a product is legally marketed. |
| 4 | Which laboratory prepared the cells, and can I see the certificate of analysis for my batch? | A named lab and a batch report that lists the cell count, viability, sterility and contamination results. The 2018 multiple sclerosis trial report by Planchon and colleagues lists viability above 70 percent, sterility, identity, and no endotoxin or mycoplasma as release criteria. Nation Thailand reports that expanded MSC and NK cell preparations need batch-release testing. | "The report is confidential," or only a brochure. We found no universal pass mark. Planchon's paper does not list cell count as a release test, but the dose depends on it, so ask for it anyway. |
| 5 | What is the dose, and how will it be given? | A cell number, the number of sessions, and the route (for example a joint injection or a drip) in writing. The ISSCR asks how the treatment is done, how the cells reach the right part of the body, and, for donor cells, how your immune system will be kept from reacting. | "It depends on how you feel on the day," or a dose that changes with the price. |
| 6 | What is the published evidence that this works for my condition, and where was it published? | Named studies in your condition, including results that did not favor the treatment. The ISSCR asks "Where is this published? Is the journal credible?" | Papers about other conditions, animals, or testimonials. Cook and colleagues (Stem Cell Reports, 2021) studied 59 stem cell businesses in the southwestern US. The 21 that cited papers named 261 articles, and only 2 percent directly supported the treatment on offer. |
| 7 | Can I have a written, itemized quote? | Line items for consultation, tests, the cell product, doctor and nursing fees, and follow-up, plus a list of what is not included. The ISSCR asks what the price includes and what other costs you will meet. See our price guide. | One package number, or fees that are "fixed on arrival." |
| 8 | If there is a complication, who treats me and who pays? | A written answer naming the hospital for emergencies, who pays, and who to call from abroad. The ISSCR lists these exact questions, including what happens if a serious complication leads to long-term disability. | "That never happens." The ISSCR lists "claims that there is no risk" as a warning sign. The FDA lists infections, tumor formation and immune reactions among reported risks of unapproved products. |
| 9 | What follow-up do I get after I fly home, and what records do I take with me? | A follow-up schedule by video or message, a copy of the signed consent form, and your records and product details. The ISSCR's question list for trials asks how long contact will continue, "months or even years." Applying it to a private clinic is our suggestion. | Follow-up only if you pay again, or no contact once you have left. |
| 10 | What are the cancellation and refund terms? | Terms in writing before payment: what is refunded if you cancel, if the doctor decides not to treat you, or if you fly in and the product is not available. | No written terms, or a non-refundable deposit taken before any doctor has seen your records. This question is our addition. Neither source we opened lists refund terms. The ISSCR does warn about high or hidden costs. |
Print note
You can print this page and take it with you. Use one printed copy per clinic.
Clinic name: ____________________ Date asked: ____________________
Person who answered: ____________________ Reply received: ____________________
Reading the answers
Questions 1 and 2 can be partly checked without the clinic. The Department of Health Service Support lookup that Pattaya Mail describes searches by license number or facility name. We could not open the Medical Council's own doctor search on 7 November 2026, so ask the clinic for the number and then check it with the Council directly.
Questions 3 and 4 are the hardest for a non-specialist. For the Thai rules behind them, see Is stem cell therapy legal in Thailand?. For what "grown in a lab" means, see What are mesenchymal stem cells?
Question 6 matters most. The FDA says it has not approved regenerative medicine therapies for any orthopedic condition, and both the FDA and Rodeo (Sports Health, 2024) warn that being listed in a trial registry, or being registered with the FDA, does not mean a product is legally marketed. For one condition worked through in detail, see Stem cells for knee osteoarthritis.
If several answers are missing or evasive, see Stem cell clinic red flags. If you are unsure whether treatment suits you at all, see Who should not have stem cell treatment.
More on stem cell therapy in Bangkok: published prices and five questions to ask any clinic.
Get the clinic questions checklist by email
The five questions to ask any clinic before you pay, with what a clear answer looks like, in one short email. No health advice. No further emails unless you ask for one below.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I ask these questions by phone or in writing?
In writing. The ISSCR says you should receive an informed consent form or treatment consent form, with a copy for you, and that medical records, protocols and consent documents should be supplied to anyone giving you a second opinion. Written answers by email give you the same kind of paper trail. This is our suggestion, built on that advice.
What if a clinic refuses to answer some of these questions?
Treat that as information. The ISSCR lists, as a warning sign of an unproven treatment, a source of cells or a method that is not clearly documented, and says you should be able to request the protocol. If a clinic will not put its answers in writing, that is a reason to look at other options or to wait.
Can I check a doctor or a clinic myself?
Partly. Pattaya Mail (29 April 2026) says Thai authorities point the public to hosp.hss.moph.go.th, where you can search by license number or facility name and see the license status and the listed medical personnel. We tried to open the Medical Council's own doctor search on 7 November 2026 and it did not load for us, so we cannot say what it shows.
Do these questions apply if the clinic uses my own cells?
Yes. The FDA says unapproved stem cell products include those recovered from your own body as well as those from another person's body. The ISSCR says stem cells used in treatment may come from the patient or from a donor, so the source of the cells is one of the questions to ask.
If a clinic answers all 10 questions well, is that enough?
No. A clear answer to each question shows that the clinic is open about what it does. It does not show that the treatment works for your condition. Take the answers to your own doctor before you decide.
Sources
- The ISSCR Guide to Stem Cell Treatments
- Important Patient and Consumer Information About Regenerative Medicine Therapies
- Thailand urges public to check clinic licenses online to avoid illegal treatment risks
- Thailand Makes History With Landmark Stem Cell Decree
- Feasibility of mesenchymal stem cell culture expansion for a phase I clinical trial in multiple sclerosis
- Manufacturing Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for the Treatment of Graft-versus-Host Disease: A Survey among Centers Affiliated with the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation
- Weighing up the evidence used by direct-to-consumer stem cell businesses
- Marketing of Unproven and Unapproved Regenerative Medicine Therapies
You pay us nothing. Once clinics join, they cover our costs, which can include a referral fee. This means we will have a financial interest in you going ahead with a clinic we suggest.
A patient referral service, not a medical provider. This page is general information and does not replace advice from a doctor who knows your case. For most conditions named here, stem cell therapy is not standard treatment in Thailand, and results vary.