Bodyshopping
The Politics of Medical Tourism
Medical tourism is shooting upwards from 25,000 people in 2004 to more than 100,000 in 2007. By 2010, the UK is likely to see more than 200,000 people leave seeking medical treatment. This has enormous implications for the NHS, but it also asks bigger questions about globalisation. Medical tourism might seem to be a logical extension of global trade, increasing competition and empowering the developing world. But it raises safety and ethical concerns. Desperate patients are travelling to India and the Netherlands for unproven stem cell treatments, spurred on by false promises. So how do we manage a global health system?
This project is at proposal stage. If you're interested in supporting it or getting involved, please email jack.