We have received several inquiries about the stem cell clinic that was previously in Costa Rica but moved to Panama and is now known as the Stem Cell Institute of Panama.
People were curious about the circumstances surrounding their move and how the stem cell treatment at our clinic differs in terms of procedures, price, and efficacy.
Why did Stem Cell Institute Panama move? Is the health care system better in Panama? What Happened?
When the Stem Cell Institute moved from Costa Rica to Panama, stem cell treatment was not authorised by the Costa Rican government and the legal framework governing it was still being written. That framework has since been established and rewritten again.
In 2010, Ileana Herrera, the head of the health ministry’s research council in Costa Rica, said the Stem Cell Institute of Panama, which opened in Costa Rica in 2006, would be allowed to store adult stem cells extracted from patients’ own fat tissue, bone marrow, and donated umbilical cords, but not perform treatments since efficiency and safety were uncertain.
Costa Rica’s rules have changed twice since. Executive Decree 39986-S, issued in September 2016, first set out authorisation and operating conditions for regenerative therapies with adult stem cells. It was repealed and replaced by Executive Decree 45116-S of 20 June 2025, which governs the use and application of conventional therapies with adult stem cells and autologous platelet-rich plasma in Costa Rica. The decree sets out habilitación requirements for health services offering these therapies, and defines the boundary between minimally manipulated conventional therapies and advanced therapies. The complaints associated with the Stem Cell Institute originated in the Costa Rican regulatory situation of that earlier period, not in the framework that applies today.
Research into the type of comments and complaints in searches related to the Panamanian company would reveal inquiries such as:
- stem cell institute panama cost
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- stem cell institute panama comments
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Many articles have been written in response to the above questions by various sources with statements both pro and con, but those comments and/or complaints would be made about any clinic anywhere because of the controversy surrounding these new stem cell treatments.
The Stem Cell Transplants Institute in Panama, as well as the healthcare system, faces many challenges today that interfere with complete development.
Despite advances in stem cell transplants in Panama and in Panama´s health care in the past few years, there is a shortage of healthcare professionals. This is not an issue limited to the health sector, but rather a tendency that affects multiple fields of the economy in Panama.
Also, although the country has made important advances toward universal healthcare coverage, according to the Pan American Health Organization, public and private sectors covered around 90% of the population in 2014, access to health services is not equally available for everyone. There is a marked discrepancy between health outcomes in urban and rural settings.
In comparison, the Costa Rican healthcare system is rated very highly on an international level, and the country’s citizens enjoy health and life expectancy equal to that of more developed nations.
Nearly the entire population of Costa Rica had healthcare coverage by the year 2006. In addition, the country ranks among the best for specialized medical professionals. This is the case with Dr. Leslie Mesén, who specializes in stem cell treatments and anti-aging therapies in Escazú.
To summarize, healthcare in Costa Rica has many advantages when compared to Panama. Additional benefits include security and weather.
For example, Panama is hotter, more humid, and cloudier, and has a prolonged rainy season. Costa Rica is a great destination for stem cell therapy.
How do our treatments differ? Are the Stem Cells Institute Panama’s cures and methods different from ours?
The Stem Cell Institute of Panama utilizes mainly combinations of allogeneic human umbilical cord stem cells and autologous bone marrow stem cells to treat diseases. The Stem Cells Institute in Costa Rica uses adult autologous stem cells obtained from the patient’s own fatty tissue.
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation utilized by the Stem Cell Institute of Panama is a procedure in which a person receives stem cells from a genetically similar, but not identical, donor. These types of cells are more vulnerable to rejection than autologous cells (cells derived from the same individual).
In comparison, the Stem Cells Transplant Institute in Costa Rica uses exclusively adult autologous stem cells obtained from the patient’s own tissue, so the risk of rejection is almost non-existent. Adult stem cells are less likely to be rejected when used in transplants, and they are possible to reprogram.
The success of using adult stem cells has been demonstrated in various clinical applications. Top stem cell research universities have studies suggesting that adult stem cells may have greater plasticity than was originally thought, which means that they may be able to differentiate into a greater range of specialized cell types.
At present, however, it would appear that embryonic stem cells still have the advantage in their ability to differentiate more readily than adult stem cells, but as we just mentioned, the possibility of rejection is also much higher.
Another important difference between the Stem Cell Institute of Panama treatments and the treatments at the Stem Cells Transplant Institute of Costa Rica is that since adult stem cells are derived from adult tissues and, of course, with consent from the patient, there is little or no ethical dilemma to adult stem cell therapies.
Embryonic stem cells and umbilical cord stem cells, on the other hand, have triggered enormous debate due to the destruction of an embryo following cell extraction or issues surrounding the collection and application of stem cells from the umbilical cord.
At the Stem Cells Transplant Institute in Costa Rica, we use adult stem cells. We harvest stem cells from a sample of your own bone marrow or adipose tissue and later inject them intravenously or directly in the zone required.
The therapies are legally approved in Costa Rica and are highly controlled. You can be assured that we follow the highest ethical standards and do not practice any procedures that may be viewed as crossing the ethical standards of human life.
Are therapies more expensive in Costa Rica? Are Stem Cell Institute Panama costs lower?
No, the cost of treatment at the Stem Cell Institute of Panama is very similar to Costa Rica. The experts at the Stem Cells Institute in Costa Rica use state-of-the-art technology and provide high-quality care at a reasonable price.
Do treatments in Costa Rica differ from the treatments at the Stem Cell Institute of Panama in terms of efficacy?
Stem cell transplants in Panama and Costa Rica are applied across neurological, orthopedic, cardiometabolic, and autoimmune conditions.
On the neurological side, that includes autism, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Orthopedic and musculoskeletal applications cover osteoarthritis of the knee, hip and shoulder and musculoskeletal injuries, including knee injuries.
Cardiometabolic applications include type 1 and type 2 diabetes, heart disease, post-myocardial infarction and critical limb-threatening ischemia. Autoimmune and inflammatory applications include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and COPD. Anti-aging and erectile dysfunction protocols are also offered.
It should be noted that the Stem Cells Transplant Institute of Costa Rica offers the same treatments, and more in our new, ultra-modern clinic in the CIMA Medical Center. In terms of efficacy, stem cells by themselves have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body independently of the health center; however, it requires a strict isolation process and qualified expertise for the correct application.
At the Stem Cells Transplant Institute in Costa Rica, we guarantee that we strictly follow well-designed isolation protocols, with high standards of quality, hygiene, and top technological resources. The therapies are applied by highly qualified professionals, so you receive the best possible results. The procedures followed by Stem Cell Transplant Institute of Panama are not known to us.
The Stem Cell Institute of Panama moved from Costa Rica because of temporary circumstances that have been resolved and have nothing to do with aspects of efficacy, lower costs, or lack of resources in Costa Rica.
In comparison, Costa Rica has a higher standard of healthcare and expert institutions like the Stem Cells Transplant Institute that offer legally approved and high-quality therapies.
