Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease in India: Cost & Success Rate

Cost of Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease in India

The cost of a bone marrow transplant for sickle cell disease in India ranges from $18,000 - $45,000, exclusive of donor registry if required.

The cost of the same in the US ranges from USD $120,000^[1] to $250,000^[2].

Below is a table to elaborate:

Cost in USD (excluding donor registry)

Transplant Type	Detail	Cost in India	Cost in the US
Autologous transplant or gene therapy	The patient's own stem cell is genetically modified and inserted back.	$18,000-$20,000	$120,000
Allogenic transplant	External donor with a perfect match.	$30,000 - $35,000	$150,000 to $250,000
Haplo- Allogenic transplant	External donor with a partial match.	$40,000 - $45,000

Allogenic transplants, where the patient requires an unrelated donor through the donor registry, are more expensive.
In India, the cost of such a bone marrow transplant is around $70,000 to $75,000; in the US, it is way over $250,000.

A bone marrow transplant is a good option in India for treating most blood-related diseases, immune disorders, and genetic disorders.

Read the complete guide to Bone Marrow Transplant for Leukemia in India

Procedure: Get Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease in India

With low costs, haematology experts and advanced technology, India is leading to become one of the most reliable bone marrow transplant destinations for patients.

Find out how international patients in India can get treated for sickle cell disease using a bone marrow transplant.

First Touch Point With Our Medical Advisors

Our medical tourism advisors connect with international patients and help them find the right fit for a bone marrow transplant program. First, patients share initial reports with our advisors. The reports include:

• Gene tests
• Initial scans
• Existing lab reports
• High-resolution HLA reports

Low-resolution images will not give doctors accurate results.

If you do not have existing medical reports, do not worry—our team will help you.

All you need to do is contact us and let us guide you.

Why Is HLA Important for Bone Marrow Transplant?

Identifying the Right Donor Is the Key!

After finding you the right bone marrow transplant program, specialists examine initial reports and plan for treatment.

Here, the type of donor is decided.

Donor Chart

Donor Type	Who it can be	Matching level
Allogeneic	Sibling	Complete match
Haplo- Allogeneic	Parent, Child, Relative	Partial match (50%)
Allo- ‘Matched Unrelated Donor’	Non-related, from the Donor Registry	Complete Match

• Usually, a sibling is a perfect HLA match for an allogeneic transplant.
• A partial match (Haplo-allogenic) donor may work if there are no siblings. Studies have shown that this donor has a higher risk of rejection.^[4]
• To combat this, patients can try the global donor registry and find a ‘matched unrelated donor’; this process is expensive but gives patients a greater chance of finding a good match.

Are There Other Donor Options if HLA Does Not Match With Relatives?

Once the donor is identified, a bone marrow transplant and the patient’s India visit are scheduled.

Travel to India for Bone Marrow Transplant

Before a bone marrow transplant, the patient requires 2-3 sessions of chemotherapy to kill the abnormal stem cells. This is called Induction. The patient can get this done in their home country or India.

Here is the timeline for the treatment.

Timeline

Phase during the treatment	Duration
Pre-Transplant	1 month
Main procedure	35 Days (patient stays in hospital)
Post-Transplant	3 Months (mandatory)

Once the treatment timeline is fixed, our medical advisors ensure all travel-related documents are processed seamlessly.
Patients are connected with a specific point of contact who handles the overall journey. Once in India, the doctor prepares for the treatment.

How to Reach India?

You can reach the capital of India, New Delhi, by taking flights to Indira Gandhi International Airport. This is one of the finest airports in the world with numerous inbound and outbound flights globally.

Flight Details

City/Country	Airlines	Availability of direct flights	Flight Time	Cost in USD
Lagos, Nigeria	Ethiopian Airlines	No, minimum 1 stop	14 hours	$593
	Qatar Airways, Indigo		15 hours 55 min	$600
	Egypt Air		39 hr 10 min	$686
Kinshasa, Congo	Ethiopian Airlines	No, minimum 1 stop	14 hr 55 min	$582
	Turkish Airlines/Indigo		23 hr 5 min	$784
	Kenya Airways		15 hr 5 min	$814
Yaounde, Cameroon	Ethiopian Airlines, Air India	No, minimum 1 stop	13 hr 20 min	$825
	Turkish Airlines/Indigo		23 hr 30 min	$1090
	Air France		18 hr 10 min	$1723
Accra, Ghana	Emirates	No, minimum 1 stop	21 hr 30 min	$456
	Ethiopian Airlines, Air India		14 hr 20 min	$586
	Qatar Airways, Indigo		18 hr 20 min	$554

Process of Getting a Bone Marrow Transplant

Most bone marrow transplant procedures are similar across all blood-related disorders and some immuno-genetic diseases. Here is a breakdown of how patients receive a bone marrow transplant.

Preparation with Intense Therapy:
High doses of chemotherapy and radiation are given to treat cancer and create space in the bone marrow. This therapy stops bone marrow cell production, leaving it empty.

Transplant Process:
Bone marrow transplant is delivered through the central venous catheter into the bloodstream, similar to a blood transfusion. Stem cells find their way into the bone marrow, growing new, healthy blood cells.

Post-Transplant Care:
The patient stays in isolation for 35 days in intensive care for observation. Supportive care includes preventing and treating infections and side effects.
Regular blood tests, vital sign monitoring, fluid measurement, daily weigh-ins, and maintaining a clean environment are essential.

Pros and Cons for Bone Marrow Transplant

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Healthy bone marrow treats the sickle cell from the core	Risk of serious Graft vs. host disease where the patient's body rejects foreign substances.
Restores the Immune system and helps it become strong	Long and tedious process
Reduces ongoing chemotherapy, which can lead to multiple side effects	Infection due to weak immune system
Gets the patient healthy	Expensive treatment

 

Overview of Sickle Cell Disease and Bone Marrow Transplant

Let us look at the global overview of sickle cell disease and how it can be treated.

What Is Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic disorder that affects red blood cells (RCB). The affected RCBs, which carry oxygen around the body, are not shaped properly.^[6] Instead of being round and flexible enough to pass through the bloodstream, they're shaped like sickles.

The gene mutation that causes the shape of the RBCs to change blocks the bloodstream and hinders oxygen flow through the body, causing numerous issues. The disease can also be fatal.

Why Is Bone Marrow Transplant Used To Treat Sickle Cell Disease?

Stem cells live inside the bone marrow, which produces RBCs. In a patient with Sickle Cell Disease, the RBCs are damaged and unhealthy. The disease can be treated at the core by replacing the bone marrow, which is a factory of RBCs.

How Does It Work?

After examining the patient reports, a donor is identified. Healthy bone marrow is taken from the donor and put into the patient's body. This is called an allogeneic transplant. Another way to treat sickle cell disease is through an autologous stem cell, bone marrow transplant, or gene therapy. This takes the mutated gene in the patient's body, fixes it, and injects it back into the patient.^[7]

This healthy bone marrow starts making good RBCs, and over time, the patient recovers.

Global Perspective on Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is mostly found in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Given that Nigeria has the highest prevalence of sickle cell disease globally, the disease is identified as a major healthcare issue.^[8]

The incidence of sickle cell disease ranges from 20% to 30%^[9] in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, and Nigeria. A high prevalence of 45% has also been reported in some parts of Uganda.^[10]

The condition affects more than 100,000 people in the United States and 20 million worldwide. In the United States, most people who have sickle cell disease are of African ancestry or identify themselves as Black.^[11]

Why India?

According to a United Nations report, Sub-Saharan Africa faces a severe shortage of healthcare professionals and lacks adequate healthcare coverage for those needing medical treatment.^[12]
At the same time, countries in the West, like the US, face the challenge of exorbitant healthcare costs.

This is where India comes into the picture as an ideal destination to get treated for sickle cell disease.

According to the United Nations, India boasts highly qualified doctors, state-of-the-art equipment, and treatments approved by the World Health Organization and the US Food and Drug Administration.^[13]

In India, patients from African countries and even Western countries can receive quality healthcare at affordable prices.

Success Rate of Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease in India

The overall success rate of bone marrow transplant for sickle cell disease in India is 90%.^[14] According to research conducted by Indian scientists and published in NIH, the survival rate was 90%, and event-free survival was 76%.

Best Hospital for Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease in India

Best Specialist for Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease in India

Is Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease Safe in India?

Yes, bone marrow transplant for sickle cell disease is safe in India, thanks to advanced technology, renowned JCI-accredited hospitals, and experts with decades of experience in hematology.

Bone marrow transplant is safest when a matched donor is available; however, as per the National Health Institute, even with a suitable donor, there is still a 9% risk of rejection of a foreign body.^[15]

Conclusion

Bone marrow transplants for sickle cell disease in India is steadily becoming an option for international patients.

Get safe and affordable treatment from hematological experts in top JCI-accredited hospitals.

Fight the genetic disorder today.

Contact us!

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