INTERNATIONAL PATIENTS · AUSTRALIA

Stem Cell and Longevity Treatment in Dubai for Australian Patients: A Practical Guide

Dr Shiva Faramarzi, MD · Apogee Clinic, JBR, Dubai · Reviewed October 2026

The short answer. Australia tightened its rules on cell therapies, including treatments using a patient’s own cells, with stricter manufacturing standards and a ban on advertising them directly to consumers. Some Australian patients therefore look abroad. Dubai has direct flights from major Australian cities, is a natural stopover on the way to Europe, and our clinic is inside Address Beach Resort on JBR beach. This guide explains how it works, and the honest questions to ask first.

How cell therapies are regulated in Australia

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) changed how products made from a patient’s own cells and tissues are regulated. Clinics now have to meet strict manufacturing standards, and direct-to-consumer advertising of these treatments is banned. The aim was to protect patients from clinics selling unproven treatments.¹

In practice, regenerative cell treatment for autoimmune or longevity purposes in Australia is now largely limited to hospital settings and research.

What that means for you

If there is an Australian clinical trial you are eligible for, it is worth asking your specialist about it first.

The evidence for stem cell treatment differs from one condition to another. In some areas, randomised trials have shown measurable benefits: in a placebo-controlled trial in type 2 diabetes, HbA1c fell by 1.3 percentage points with umbilical cord MSCs and insulin needs dropped,² and in advanced liver cirrhosis, MSC treatment improved liver function and long-term survival.³ For many other uses, including most autoimmune and longevity indications, the human evidence is earlier. None of these is yet a standard guideline treatment.

Treatment is given under my Dubai Health Authority (DHA) licence, with cells and exosomes prepared by two established, regulated laboratories. I explain the evidence for your own condition before you decide, and I would rather tell you before you travel from Australia that treatment is not worth the trip than after.

Getting here

Flights: direct flights from major Australian cities take roughly 11 hours from Perth to around 14 to 15 hours from the east coast.
Time difference: Dubai is six to seven hours behind Sydney and Melbourne, depending on daylight saving.
A stopover: many Australians already stop in Dubai on the way to Europe. Breaking the journey for a few days can make treatment practical without a separate trip.
Visa: Australian citizens can currently get a visa on arrival. Check the current rules on the UAE government portal before you book.⁴

Before you travel

Send your records first. Recent blood tests, diagnosis letters, scans and a list of your medications. I review them before you book flights, so you know whether treatment is reasonable for you.
Have a first conversation by WhatsApp. We agree what you want to achieve, what the evidence does and does not support, and which treatments make sense.
Decide your dates together with us. We plan your appointments around your flights, so assessment, treatment and review fit into your stay.
Tell your own doctor. I am happy to write to them before and after treatment.

Planning a visit from Australia?

Send your records and travel dates. I will review them and tell you honestly what is worth doing. WhatsApp +971 52 328 6185.

Where we are

Apogee Clinic is inside Address Beach Resort, a five-star beachfront hotel on Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) in Dubai, with direct access to JBR beach and a spa on the 75th floor. Dubai Marina, Bluewaters Island and Ain Dubai are a few minutes away.⁵

For patients who travel, this matters more than it sounds. You can stay in the same building as the clinic, so there is no commute between your hotel and your appointments, and you can rest in your room straight after treatment. The resort also has residences for longer stays, which suit patients combining several treatments.⁵

Working with your GP or specialist

Tell your GP or specialist what you are planning. With your permission, I write to them before treatment and send a summary afterwards. Follow-up blood tests can be done near home and reviewed with me remotely.

After you go home

You leave with a written summary of what was done, which products were used, and what to monitor.
With your permission, I send the same summary to your doctor at home.
Follow-up blood tests can usually be done near home and reviewed with me remotely.
Check your travel insurance before you go. Many policies exclude planned medical treatment abroad and its complications.

Frequently asked questions

Why is stem cell treatment harder to find in Australia now?

Because the TGA introduced stricter manufacturing standards and banned direct-to-consumer advertising for treatments using a patient’s own cells.¹

Can I have treatment on a stopover to Europe?

Often, yes. For stem cell treatment, plan at least four nights in Dubai rather than a short stopover, and send your records first so the schedule is confirmed before you book.

How long should I stay?

For stem cell treatment, whether with your own cells or a donor’s, plan at least four nights in Dubai, so we can keep you under observation after treatment. Allow time to recover from the flight before your assessment.

Do I need a visa?

Australian citizens can currently get a visa on arrival in the UAE. Check the latest rules before travelling.⁴

Start with your records.

Send your records and travel dates. We will plan the rest together. WhatsApp +971 52 328 6185.

About the author. Dr Shiva Faramarzi, MD, is an aesthetic, regenerative and longevity physician at Apogee Clinic, JBR, Dubai (DHA licence 43705219). She offers autologous and donor stem cell therapy and exosome IV treatment. This article is patient education and does not replace the advice of your GP or specialist.

References

1. University of Melbourne. Review of new Australian regulations and the implication for commercial stem cell clinics (summarising Munsie M, Rudge C, Ghinea N, Stewart C. Australian regulation of autologous human cell and tissue products: implications for commercial stem cell clinics. Regenerative Medicine). 2020. unimelb.edu.au
2. Zang L, et al. Efficacy and safety of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells in Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes: a single-center, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled phase II trial. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2022;13:180. doi:10.1186/s13287-022-02848-6
3. Shi M, et al. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy in decompensated liver cirrhosis: a long-term follow-up analysis of the randomized controlled clinical trial. Hepatol Int. 2021;15(6):1431–1441. doi:10.1007/s12072-021-10199-2
4. UAE Government portal (u.ae). Visa on arrival: who is eligible and for how long. u.ae
5. Address Hotels + Resorts. Address Beach Resort, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai. addresshotels.com