Malaysia is a leading nation in the field of healthcare, particularly excelling in stem cell therapy and fertility treatment. In 2011, Malaysia established guidelines for stem cell therapy, and since its practical implementation, the country has accumulated over 13 years of experience in this area. Malaysia’s medical tourism market has seen remarkable growth, driven by numerous initiatives undertaken by the Malaysian government to promote the industry.

One of Malaysia’s most renowned leaders, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who is also a medical doctor, played an active role in advancing the country’s healthcare sector. In 2005, the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) was established, which significantly increased the number of people visiting Malaysia for various treatments. For instance, in 2019, approximately 1.22 million people visited Malaysia for medical purposes.

In 2020, Malaysia gained recognition in the field of “Health & Medical Tourism” and was named “Destination of the Year” at the International Medical Travel Journal (IMTJ) Medical Travel Awards. Recently, the MHTC unveiled the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Blueprint for 2021–2025, aiming to achieve revenue of $380 million USD (1.7 billion MYR) by 2025.

In Switzerland, another leading country in stem cell therapy, receiving a drip treatment using umbilical cord-derived stem cells costs over $70,000 USD. In contrast, in Malaysia, the same treatment is available for approximately $15,000 to $30,000 USD. This highlights a significant advantage of Malaysia: access to high-quality stem cell therapy at a relatively reasonable price.