Two recent articles caught my attention. They highlight the increasing trend of English speaking patients going to the Czech Republic for medical tourism (including fertility tourism). They cite that availability, low cost and high quality care are the primary factors driving patients there.
First, in February, the Prague Post wrote an article titled “Czech Republic a mecca for medical tourism“.
A few notable comments:
Britons, Germans, Austrians and Russians prevail among foreign clients of Czech health care centers. The reasons are obvious: they would pay up to 50 percent less for the treatment while the quality and conditions in the Czech Republic are comparable to those in their countries, Právo says.
“In 2012, the Czech Republic became the most favourite medical tourism destination for Britons,” Ondřej Šebestík, from HealthCzech company, told Právo. The number of English-speaking patients interested in the treatment in the Czech Republic increased more than four times between 2011 and 2012. In 2012, the Czech Republic became the most favourite medical tourism destination for Britons.”
Foreigners appreciate the high level of health services in the Czech Republic, similar to Western standards, but for twice or three times lower prices.
Besides, it writes, foreign couples who need assisted reproduction technology go to the Czech Republic also because of its more flexible legislation, compared to other countries. Czech law enables anonymous sperm and egg donation, for instance.
In Europe, the Czech Republic, along with Spain, is the most popular destination for infertile couples,” ISCARE assisted reproduction centre head doctor Jaroslav Hulvert confirmed to ČTK.
“We estimate that 4000-5000 IVF (in vitro fertilisation) cycles were carried out to foreign clients in the Czech Republic in 2013,” Eizellspende IVF company executive Oliver Nosek told Právo.
Then this week Global Travel Industry News released a story titled “Medical Tourism on the rise in Czech Republic“. In the article they stated:
“The Czech Republic is the one of the most popular destinations for couples looking for infertility treatments, with an estimated 4000-5000 IVF treatments given to foreign clients in 2013.”
It goes on to say “the balance of low cost and high quality is arguably the leading incentive. The conditions offered by Czech health facilities are of a high standard, with patients receiving the same level of comfort and care as they would at home, but they can do so at greatly reduced rates. Alternatively, patients from these other nations may be looking less at the price and more at the chance to get some discrete, high-quality surgery without people knowing – a holiday to the Czech Republic is a good cover story.”