Medical tourism for bariatric surgery needs urgent regulation

Medical tourism for bariatric surgery needs urgent regulation to protect recipients' health, especially as the data show that tourist numbers are increasing despite the advent of weight loss drugs, according to the authors of a commentary paper published in BMJ Global Health.

In February 2025, recommendations from a consensus paper from the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), the International Federation for Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders European Chapter (IFSO-EC) and the European Collation for People Living with Obesity (ECPO), bariatric surgery in Europe should only be performed at centres of obesity management which are accredited by either EASO or the country's representative national BMS society or surgical society (Credit: International Journal of Surgery (2024). DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000002171)

It is estimated the medical tourism industry is worth more than $400 billion annually, with anticipated year-on-year growth of 25%, and the number of medical tourists in search of bariatric surgery continues to rise, particularly as this is often cheaper overseas. For example, the out-of-pocket cost for bariatric surgery done privately in the UK is around £10, 000–£15,000 compared with £2,500–£4,500 in countries, such as Turkey.

The largest global survey to date of providers of bariatric and weight reduction surgery shows that most patients (71%) self-refer. They may therefore not have appropriate medical indication to undergo major surgery: ineligibility for this type of surgery in their home country is often cited by patients as a reason for accessing it overseas.

However, opting to have surgery abroad comes with risks with some centres offering no preoperative and long-term nutritional, psychological, or other medical follow-up; and there's often no multidisciplinary care, which is integral to appropriate case selection.

"When considering adverse outcomes, including anastomotic leakage, sepsis and even death, equally concerning is the absence of regulation to ensure that only accredited procedures are performed by appropriately qualified providers,” the authors note. "Further concern arises in the context of medical tourism 'packages' in which patients are offered multiple procedures within the same trip.”

They also highlight the financial and resource impacts of dealing with postoperative complications in returning medical tourists.

“This unregulated industry presents opportunity for quicker access to effective treatment for individuals with obesity but carries potential safety, ethical and legal risks. The economy and healthcare resources of both home and destination countries may benefit financially from bariatric medical tourism, but the potential for unintended negative consequences and widening health inequity are significant,” the authors concluded. “Establishing regulation through transnational collaboration is essential to protect health and health equity.”

The findings were reported in the paper, ‘Bariatric and metabolic surgery medical tourism: the compelling need for regulation through transnational collaboration’, published in BMJ Global Health. To access this paper, please click here