The development of precision medicine in China, especially the breakthroughs in genetic testing and targeted therapy, is injecting new momentum into medical tourism. As a fusion of “medical + tourism”, the core attraction of medical tourism lies in high-quality, differentiated and cost-effective medical services, while the “personalized” attributes of precision medicine can precisely meet the needs of international patients for customized treatment, combined with the rich tourism resources and service system in China. At the same time, combined with China's rich tourism resources and service system, it forms a unique competitive advantage. The following analysis is based on three dimensions: technological empowerment, scenario innovation and industrial synergy:
I、Genetic testing and targeted therapy: precision medicine provides a “technical moat” for medical tourism
The core of precision medicine is to analyze individual genetic information through genetic testing and formulate targeted treatment plans by combining with clinical data, whose “precision” directly enhances treatment effect and patient trust, which is the core competitiveness of medical tourism.
1. Genetic testing: cracking the disease code and attracting demand for precise diagnosis and treatment
Genetic testing technologies (e.g. NGS second-generation sequencing, liquid biopsy) have realized rapid transformation from laboratory to clinic in China. For example, the technology of companies such as UW Genetics and Burning Stone Medical covers the fields of tumor, genetic diseases, rare diseases, etc., and the cost of testing is 30%-50% lower than that of Europe and the United States (e.g., the cost of multi-gene testing for lung cancer is about 5,000-8,000 yuan, while the cost of similar testing in the United States is more than 20,000 yuan). For international patients, especially those with cancer and genetic diseases, China's cost-effective genetic testing can quickly clarify the cause of the disease and provide a basis for subsequent treatment.
Typical cases: the international medical departments of some domestic tertiary hospitals (e.g. Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Shanghai Ruijin Hospital) have already carried out tumor genetic testing services, attracting cancer patients from Southeast Asia and the Middle East to seek cross-border medical treatment, and avoiding ineffective treatments through accurate typing.
2. Targeted Therapy: Reducing Side Effects and Enhancing Treatment Accessibility
Targeted drugs can significantly reduce the side effects of traditional chemotherapy by accurately acting on lesion targets, and the speed of listing and health insurance coverage of some drugs (e.g., ositinib for EGFR-mutated lung cancer) in China (more than 30 types of anti-cancer targeted drugs will be included in health insurance in 2023) are better than those in Europe and the United States. For example, the 5-year survival rate of targeted therapy for lung cancer in China has reached 20% (the global average is 15%), and some late-stage patients have realized long-term tumor survival through the closed loop of “detection, medication and dynamic monitoring”.
For international patients, China's targeted therapies are “efficacy verifiable and affordable”: for example, the price of liver cancer targeted drug lenvatinib in China is about 60% of the price in the United States, and some hospitals provide integrated services of “treatment+follow-up”, which reduces the overall cost of cross-border medical treatment for patients. Some hospitals provide integrated services of “treatment + follow-up”, which reduces the comprehensive cost of cross-border medical treatment for patients.
II、Scenario Innovation: The “Medical + Tourism” Model Stimulates New Consumer Demand
The essence of medical tourism is “service experience.” China can combine its technological advantages in precision medicine with its tourism resources to create a composite scenario of “treatment + wellness + cultural experience,” meeting the dual needs of international patients for “medical treatment + relaxation.”
1. Extending the “Treatment + Rehabilitation” Chain
Patients with cancer or chronic diseases require long-term rehabilitation management after targeted therapy. China can leverage high-quality rehabilitation hospitals and hot spring resorts (such as Boao Lecheng in Hainan and Tengchong in Yunnan) to design packages combining “treatment phase (1-2 weeks) + rehabilitation phase (1-3 months),” incorporating traditional Chinese medicine therapies (such as acupuncture and herbal medicine) and physical rehabilitation services to enhance patient treatment compliance and satisfaction.
Policy support: The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan has piloted “special import permits for drugs and medical devices” and “real-world data application,” allowing international patients to use targeted new drugs not yet available in China. This is combined with tax-free shopping and coastal tourism resources to form a distinctive “medical care + tourism + tax-free” model.
2. “Prevention + Tourism” to Attract Healthy Populations
Precision medicine is not only targeted at patients but also includes disease risk prediction for healthy populations (such as cancer screening and cardiovascular risk assessment). China could launch “high-end health check-ups + tourism” products, such as a “Japan/Singapore-Shenzhen” route targeting high-net-worth individuals in Southeast Asia, which includes cancer screening (such as multi-target colorectal cancer gene testing) and cardiovascular gene testing, combined with urban tourism in Shenzhen/Hong Kong; or a “Xinjiang-Shanghai” route targeting Middle Eastern patients, combining desert wellness and gene testing services.
III、Industrial Synergy: Policy, Infrastructure, and Ecosystem Support Medical Tourism Development
The integration of precision medicine and medical tourism relies on policy openness, infrastructure development, and industrial ecosystem synergy, areas in which China has already established a foundation.
1. Policy Benefits
At the national level, the “Healthy China 2030” Planning Outline explicitly states, “Develop new health service models and promote the development of medical tourism”; at the local level, regions such as Hainan, Shanghai, and Guangdong have introduced specialized policies, such as Hainan allowing foreign physicians to practice temporarily (for up to three years) and simplifying the visa process for international patients; Shanghai's Pudong New Area is piloting an “International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone,” encouraging insurance institutions to develop cross-border medical payment products (such as high-end medical insurance covering targeted therapy).
2. Infrastructure and Service Upgrades
China's high-speed rail network and international flight routes are extensively covered (e.g., over 50 daily flights from Southeast Asia to Kunming), reducing transit times for international patients; Some hospitals have obtained JCI (Joint Commission International) accreditation (e.g., Shanghai Jiayi International Hospital), meeting international medical quality standards; Third-party service providers such as translation and medical escort services are becoming increasingly professionalized (e.g., offering multilingual services in English, Arabic, Russian, etc.), reducing language and cultural barriers.
3. A Complete Medical Tourism Industry Chain
From upstream gene testing equipment (e.g., BGI Genomics) and targeted drug research and development (e.g., Hengrui Medicine and BeiGene), to midstream medical service institutions (e.g., United Family Healthcare and Meizhong Yihe), to downstream travel service providers (e.g., Ctrip's “Medical Tourism Channel”), China has established a complete medical tourism industry chain. For example, after BeiGene's Zebrutinib (a BTK inhibitor) was approved in the United States, it indirectly drove Chinese hospitals to become the “preferred treatment destination” for international lymphoma patients.
Challenges and Optimization Directions
Despite its promising prospects, China's medical tourism industry still faces the following challenges:
• International Certification and Mutual Recognition: More hospitals need to obtain international certifications such as JCI and CAP (College of American Pathologists) to facilitate the mutual recognition of genetic testing results and medical records internationally;
• Medical Insurance and Payment: Expand the coverage of cross-border medical insurance and explore a bundled pricing model combining “treatment costs + tourism services”;
• Branding and Promotion: Strengthen international promotion (e.g., through WHO collaboration and international medical tourism exhibitions) to establish a professional image for “China Precision Medicine”;
• Data Security: Balance patient privacy protection with medical collaboration needs in cross-border data flows (e.g., by adhering to the GDPR and the Personal Information Protection Law).
IV、Conclusion
Precision medicine (genetic testing + targeted therapy) provides China's medical tourism industry with core competitiveness in terms of “technological differentiation” and “therapeutic certainty.” The innovative integration of “medical care + tourism” with policy, infrastructure, and industry collaboration will drive its evolution from “single treatment” to “full-cycle health management + leisure experiences.” In the future, as China continues to make breakthroughs in the global precision medicine field, medical tourism is expected to become an important bridge connecting the international medical market under the “Healthy China” strategy.