Comparing offers
How to compare intravenous and intrathecal delivery
The delivery route changes where the cells go, what the procedure risks are, and how strong the supporting evidence is. It is not an upsell decision.
- Medically reviewed by:
- Prof. Dr. Erdal Karaöz Team
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The short answer
Intravenous infusion is simple, repeatable and low-burden, but most infused MSCs are trapped in the lungs and act through systemic signalling rather than by reaching a target organ. Intrathecal administration places cells into the cerebrospinal fluid for neurological indications, with a lumbar-puncture risk profile including post-dural-puncture headache. Ask which route is proposed, what evidence supports that route for your specific condition, who performs it, and in what setting.
How to interrogate a proposed route
These steps work at any clinic, anywhere. Nothing here depends on choosing us.
- Ask which route is proposed and why that route for your specific diagnosis, not for neurology in general.
- Ask what published human studies used the same route in the same condition, and what they measured.
- Ask who performs the procedure, their specialty, and whether it happens in a hospital with imaging and resuscitation available.
- Ask for the specific complication list for that route and its published frequency, including headache, infection, bleeding and infusion reactions.
- Ask what monitoring happens afterwards and for how long you must stay in the country.
- Ask what the alternative route would look like, and what the clinic would lose by choosing it. If there is no downside to the cheaper route, ask why the expensive one is proposed.
What good looks like, and what should worry you
| What you are checking | An acceptable answer | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Route rationale | Tied to your diagnosis and to published work | Route sold as an upgrade tier |
| Operator | A named clinician with the relevant specialty | Unnamed 'our doctors' |
| Setting | Hospital with monitoring and emergency support | Office or hotel-based administration |
| Risk disclosure | Specific complications with frequencies | 'Completely safe' |
| Aftercare | Defined observation period and contact route | Discharge straight to the airport |
| Alternatives | The other route explained honestly | Only one option ever offered |
How we grade claims like these: How we evaluate evidence · Editorial standards · Conflict-of-interest disclosure.
Documents to request in writing
Ask by email so the answer is documented. A clinic that cannot send these before payment is telling you something.
- The proposed route, dose and administration plan in writing
- The named clinician performing the procedure and their specialty
- The consent document listing route-specific complications
- The post-procedure observation plan and the earliest safe flight date
Do not write it yourself: copy our ready-made email and WhatsApp request.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- mesenchymal stromal cells biodistribution pulmonary entrapment intravenous infusion — Biodistribution after IV infusion.
- intrathecal mesenchymal stem cell administration safety neurological clinical trial — Intrathecal safety and feasibility studies.
- ISSCR — Guidelines for stem cell research and clinical translation
- EMA — Advanced therapy medicinal products: overview
Related verification guides
- Discussing the delivery route for neurological cases
- How to compare cell doses
- How to identify misleading claims
- The evidence base by condition
Use this on us too
Send these questions to us exactly as written. We answer them with documents, and if something does not apply to your case we say so.