Why cancer patients are flying to China for treatment - Asia Specific podcast, BBC World Service

BBC世界电台《亚洲焦点》播客：为什么癌症患者正飞往中国接受治疗

China is emerging as a medical tourism destination offering cutting-edge CAR-T cell therapy that can be faster, cheaper and more accessible than many Western countries.

For years, Asian medical tourism has been associated with destinations such as Thailand and South Korea.

But a growing number of patients are now travelling to China for advanced cancer treatment, often at a fraction of the cost than in their home countries.

China is rapidly develo new CAR-T cell therapies, a type of treatment that involves modifying a patient’s immune cells to find and attack cancer cells more effectively.

Originally developed in the United States, the therapy has primarily been used for blood cancers that return despite frontline treatments like chemotherapy.

China now leads the world in the number of CAR T-cell clinical trials and its biotech companies have developed ways to rapidly speed up the process.

中国正崛起为一个医疗旅游目的地，提供前沿的CAR-T细胞疗法，其治疗速度更快、费用更低，且比许多西方国家更容易获得。

多年来，亚洲的医疗旅游一直与泰国、韩国等目的地联系在一起。

但如今，越来越多的患者正前往中国寻求先进的癌症治疗，费用往往仅为本国治疗费用的零头。

中国正在快速研发新型CAR-T细胞疗法——这种疗法通过改造患者自身的免疫细胞，使其更有效地发现并攻击癌细胞。

该疗法最初由美国研发，主要用于治疗在一线治疗（如化疗）后仍复发的血液癌症。

目前，中国在CAR-T细胞疗法临床试验数量上位居全球第一，其生物技术公司已开发出能够大幅加快治疗流程的方法。

以下是各国网友的评论：

dahaixng2376
I live in London. i know one of my coworkers had her heart surgery in China because she could not wait for her turn by NHS. She is British.

我住在伦敦。我有个英国同事，英国国民保健系统排队太久等不及，于是来中国做了心脏手术。

greengrass742
Do China provide free medical care to your friends?
If China don’t provide it for free, it’s not enough to demonstrate the superiority of a co unist society.

你的朋友在中国看病是免费的吗？

如果看病不能免费，那怎么能体现*主义社会的优越性。

dahaixng2376
@greengrass742 its not free but very affordable. The most important thing is of course, no need to wait like NHS. I am not saying China has a better society or not, but if it can save my life, I have no objection to seek medical help there.

 看病不是免费，但价格很亲民。最关键的是不用像英国医保那样漫长排队。我不评判哪个社会更好，但只要能救命，我完全愿意去中国就医。

greengrass742
@dahaixng2376 If, as the reports claim, everyone in China had access to high-quality medical care, wealthy Chinese people would not travel to Japan for medical checkups or treatment.

 要是报道说的那样，中国人都能享受到优质医疗，那国内有钱人也不会专程去日本体检、治病了。

dahaixng2376
@greengrass742 I am not sure what you are implying? If you mean to say Japan has better medical treatment quality, I would be agreeing with you maybe 1 year ago. But when I heard that the Taiwanese TV star Big S died in Japan due to flu, I have lost my confidence in JP medical quality.

 我不太明白你想表达什么？如果是说日本医疗水平更高，换一年前我或许会认同。但得知台湾艺人大S在日本因流感离世后，我再也不看好日本的医疗水平了。

waiyinliew7031
@greengrass742 DO your country provide FREE medical care? as far as I am concerned NOTHING is FREE in the so called "civilized west" besides one have to wait weeks if not months for an appointment to see a doctor....

你们国家看病真的全免费吗？在我看来，所谓文明的西方没有任何免费福利，预约看病动辄就要等几周甚至几个月。

kennyng2289
When you walk in to a restaurant to have your meal, does the restaurant owner give you a free lunch? Maybe you should start giving free meals should you have a restaurant.

去饭店吃饭，店家会免单吗？如果你自己开餐馆，难不成还会免费招待所有人？

Cocopuff44
My Mom flew to China for her dental surgery (from the US) because the flight itself costed less than the procedure here. It’s really sad people can’t even afford to get sick in the US, literally.

我母亲从美国坐飞机到中国做牙科手术，光是美国这边的手术费，就比机票贵得多。在美国普通人根本看不起病，实在太无奈了。

luting3
EU and US will complaint about Chinese subsidies and overcapacity again.

欧美肯定又要拿医疗补贴、产能过剩说事，指责中国。

zeissiez
Expat here in Chongqing, China. When I get sick here, I go to a public hospital in the morning at 7:30am, pay $2-3 for specialist consultation fees, get diagnosed, pay for screening and tests (which usually cost $30 for extensive blood tests and $70-100 for screening), go to the doctor again with the reports, collect medicines, go home before 1pm. No appointment needed, efficient, no exorbitant costs. And the local Chinese pay a fraction of what I have to pay, with their medical care scheme.

我是常住重庆的外籍人士。生病早上七点半直接去公立医院，专家挂号费只要两三美元，做完各项检查：全套验血约30美元，专项筛查70至100美元，拿着报告复诊、拿药，下午一点前就能全部办完。不用提前预约，办事效率高，价格也不贵。本地人有医保，花销比我还要低很多。

eugenec7130
With such low costs, obviously medical treatments in China are heavily subsidized by the government, even for expats (and tourists?). Don't expect this to happen in the United States and Europe. What a shame to these so-called civilized and advanced countries which boast about their human ri hts records!

中国医疗价格低廉，明显有政府大额补贴，外籍居民甚至游客都能享受到。欧美国家完全做不到这点，天天吹嘘自身人*，实在讽刺。

Dihorse371
That's my experience So far for treatment in China hospitals.

这也是我在中国医院看病的真实感受。

kaiserli5987
Haha, the doctor is so true. No fluff here in China, but you definitely get the medical treatment.

说得太实在了。中国看病没有繁琐流程，能实实在在得到救治。

indeng3520
lived in Singapore and UK for total of more than 10 years, and back in Chongqing, can't go anywhere else now with cheap cars and living cost

我在新加坡、英国一共生活十多年，回到重庆后就不想再离开了，物价、用车成本都很低。

hlwonka8783
A few years ago, my wife had severe food poisoning & was hospitalised for a day ( overnite) & had 5 packs of drips. When she was discharged, it cost around US$30.00. We were in 3rd tier counties.. Maybe it was subsided by the government but at least they care for human. So what if they non de ocratic but socialist system. At least they CARE .

几年前我妻子严重食物中毒，住院一晚，挂了五袋点滴，出院只花了30美元左右，我们当时在三线县城。即便有政府补贴，也能看出这边重视民众生命。就算制度和西方不一样，社会主义体系起码真心在乎普通人。

waynenathan2608
I have been living in china for 14 years ans always had some indigestion issues when went to hospital diagnosed with stmoch cancer, got the tumor removed within 3 days of diagnosed recived the best treatment with the lighting speed ! all coverd by Chinese healthcare system, chemo was susidies by gov, literally piad 5000 rmb for 7 days for a super confortable private room at hospital. living cancer free for past 5 years. THANK YOU CHINA.

我在中国生活十四年，之前肠胃不适去检查，查出胃癌。确诊三天内就安排手术切除肿瘤，救治速度特别快。医保报销大部分费用，化疗也有政府补贴，七天舒适单人病房总共只花5000元。如今已经康复五年，特别感谢中国。

WAW90
You must clearly explain that you receive such comprehensive medical services because you have a formal job and health insurance. With lower-level insurance, you would still have to bear a significant portion of the costs yourself. Without insurance, you would have to cover all medical expenses. Of course, these costs are still worthwhile compared to Western healthcare fees.

要说明一点，能享受完整医疗保障，前提是有正规工作、缴纳医保。如果医保档次低，个人依旧要承担不少费用；没医保就得全额自费。但就算自费，对比欧美医药费也划算很多。

momo-r7d9l
Cancer is a fight for time, every minute counts and if China can offer faster treatments and lower prices, the better!

癌症治疗争分夺秒，中国就医速度快、花费低，这就是巨大优势。

marvelousmarshmallow6232
No, because sooner or later, your domestic medical sector will complain to the government, claiming China has 'medical overcapacity' or 'unfair subsidies' because it hurts their profits.
Then, your government will resort to slander, claiming China uses 'medical slave labor' or similar tactics to paint the country is evil.

但欧美本土医疗行业迟早会向本国政府投诉，说中国医疗产能过剩、补贴不公平，损害他们的收益。之后各国政府还会编造谣言抹黑，声称中国医疗压榨劳工，刻意丑化中国。

armstrongchan1417
gosh, china is definitely more efficient, it takes UK/USA 2-3 months to manufacture T cells, compare China only takes A week! some patients might die in the long waiting time of 2-3 months in UK/USA!

中国医疗效率真的高出一大截。英美制备免疫T细胞要两三个月，中国一周就能完成。很多病人根本耗不起漫长等待，可能在排队期间病情恶化离世。

Grishaschannel
I'm A Filipino Doctor who practices in one of the highest ranked hospital in Asia here in the Philippines. China is a very old country with an ancient civilization that has given the world so many useful inventions over thousands of years. The West isn't even half as old and America is a fetus compared to China and most of Asia in terms of civilization. We shouldn't be amazed or even surprised that the Chinese are leading the world again in most areas of science, tech and engineering because it's in their collective memory as a civilization

我是菲律宾医生，在亚洲顶尖医院任职。中国拥有源远流长的古老文明，数千年来为世界贡献无数发明。西方文明历史不及中国一半，美国文明更是十分年轻。如今中国在科技、工程诸多领域重回世界前列并不意外，这刻在这个文明的基因里。

scorpio33albaceno83
This is true!my friend his uncle was treated in China of his cancer!luckily he is lucky to survive even the Doctor in our Country says that his survival is a miracle.

这话不假！我朋友的叔叔来中国治疗癌症，最后顺利痊愈，我们当地医生都称这是医学奇迹。

potblack243
this kind of information is what we need. this can save people's life

这种真实经历值得分享，能帮很多人争取活下去的机会。

alanbgtan
In USA, saving the big pharma is more important

在美国，政府优先保障大型药企的利益，普通人看病反倒次要。

wideangleartnb6637
Yes, the west include BBC blocked these kind of news for long! China is building more departments to treat foreigners, a relatively higher cost, but still lower than in the west. Efficient and professionally.

没错，包括BBC在内的西方媒体长期屏蔽这类正面消息。国内专门增设涉外医疗科室，收费虽比本地人高，但远低于欧美，专业高效。

SJE1990
NZ friend did cancer treatment in China. He is alive & well.

我一位新西兰朋友来中国治癌症，现在身体恢复得很好。

DerracoEngineering
i am living in Australia and I fly to china for medical treatments on my IgaN.. and it worked well. Hospitals there got every new medicines which were not available in Australia.

我定居澳大利亚，专门飞中国治疗IgA肾病，治疗效果很好。国内医院有很多澳洲买不到的新型药物。

mythbusterthe6749
While US and the West made a whoaha of Medicare. China makes it affordable for all their citizens including foreigners

欧美大肆宣扬自家医保体系，而中国实实在在让本国居民、外籍人士都能负担起医疗开销。

ARealKing1999
China is Cheaper but very faster & also world Class quality.
China Don't ask too much Money but they care human.
I am not Chinese but I love Their good work.

中国医疗收费低、就诊快，医疗水平达到世界级标准。收费亲民，始终以人为本。我不是中国人，但由衷认可这份优质医疗服务。

OckhamRaccoon
When it comes to cancer, BBC finally tells the truth, unlike A/C, EV, ENV, politics... which aren't as serious as cancer to their lives.

只有聊癌症就医这件事，BBC才肯客观报道实情。反观空调、电动车、环境、政治相关议题，他们报道全带偏见，这些事和人命比起来本就没那么重要。

walter8658
They are now more cancer patients from malaysia seeking treatment in china .

如今越来越多马来西亚癌症患者选择来中国就医。

godzillamothra5983
Back in 90s, my grandma went to China for breast cancer treatment. The cancer never recurred after the treatment, and the price was much cheaper than the same treatment here in Indonesia.

上世纪90年代，我奶奶来中国治疗乳腺癌，术后多年没有复发，花费也远低于印尼本地治疗费用。

KIMJUNGEUNism
Chinese immigrants to the West have been doing this since ages. Every time they went back to China, they went through medical examinations, surgery and dental care like going through a shop list.

移居西方的华人早就习惯回国看病。每次回国，体检、做手术、看牙医都会一次性安排齐全。

继续阅读：患者   治疗   医疗

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