Booking stem cell therapy is a decision worth a short list of questions. People who ask them tend to feel settled about the choice, whichever provider they pick.
This is the list we would use ourselves. Each question comes with the answer at GIOSTAR in Henderson, so you can compare what any provider tells you. For the basics first, read what stem cell therapy is.
What to ask about the stem cells themselves
Where do the cells come from?
Ask whether the cells are your own or from donors. Your own cells mean a harvest procedure, usually a needle into the hip or a small liposuction, and a second site. Donor cells remove that step.
At GIOSTAR, the cells are ethically sourced mesenchymal stem cells from screened donors, so there is no harvest and no second procedure site.
How are donors screened?
Ask what screening and testing happens before any tissue is used, and who documents it. At GIOSTAR, every donor goes through screening and testing before any tissue goes into use, and the cells come from tissue donated after healthy, full-term births, with the mother's consent. We use no embryos, and no harm comes to mother or baby.
What paperwork follows each lot?
Ask whether each lot comes with a Certificate of Analysis and whether it can be traced back to its source. At GIOSTAR, each lot comes with a Certificate of Analysis and full traceability.
Questions to bring up about your treatment visit
Who gives the treatment?
Ask who places the injection or IV, and what their licensure is. At GIOSTAR, licensed nurse practitioners give every stem cell therapy plan, and Dr. Ryan Peterson, our Medical Director, oversees care at the center.
Is there surgery?
Ask whether the plan involves surgery, incisions or general anesthesia, and whether you go home the same day. At GIOSTAR, there is none of those. Stem cell therapy is given by injection or IV, treatment day takes 1 to 2 hours, and you go home the same day.
Who reviews my health history first?
Ask who goes through your medications, supplements and allergies before a plan is recommended. At GIOSTAR, your nurse practitioner does this in person at your first visit, and confirms whether you are a candidate before treatment.
Working through the cost of stem cell therapy
When do I get the full total?
Ask for the complete total, in writing, before you pay anything. Three things decide the number at GIOSTAR: the number of treatment areas, injection or IV, and a single or repeat dose. Your nurse practitioner gives you the full total at your visit, before you book. Read more in what decides the total for stem cell therapy.
Does insurance cover it, and are there payment plans?
Insurance plans generally do not cover stem cell therapy, so GIOSTAR offers it as a self-pay service. Cherry offers monthly payment plans for qualified applicants, subject to credit approval.
What to ask about care after your treatment
What does aftercare look like?
Ask what instructions you get and whether they are written down. At GIOSTAR, you leave with written aftercare instructions and our phone number. Soreness or swelling at the treated area for a few days is common, and most people return to light activity in 1 to 2 days.
When is the follow-up?
Ask who checks in on you, and when. We check in at 2 weeks and every 3 months after that, and adjust your plan with you. Our guide to what happens at a stem cell therapy visit shows the whole sequence.
Putting this question list to work
Print it or save it on your phone, and take it to every consultation. Write the answers down. If two providers give you different answers to the same question, that tells you what to ask next, and it is a perfectly good reason to call back.
Two further tips:
- Ask the same question the same way. Word-for-word comparisons make the differences obvious.
- Ask for the answer in writing. A good provider is glad to put it on paper.
You can also ask us anything at 702.703.5393, whether or not you plan to book.
Questions worth asking about the treatment center
The setting tells you something too. Ask where treatment happens, who will be in the room and whether you can see the space first. At GIOSTAR, treatment happens in a private treatment room at our Henderson wellness center, and the center is open six days a week, Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 3pm, Pacific time. Parking is free right outside.
Ask also how to reach the team between visits. At GIOSTAR, you call 702.703.5393 and a person on the care team answers. A provider you can reach is worth as much as one with good credentials, and the two go together.
Why you might bring someone to your consultation
A second person hears things you miss. If your spouse or partner shares the decision, bring them, or put them on the phone for the free consultation. Compare notes afterward and decide at your own pace.
Finding stem cell therapy through GIOSTAR Henderson
GIOSTAR stands for Global Institute of Stem Cell Therapy and Research. Founded by Dr. Anand Srivastava, GIOSTAR International is part of a network across three countries, built on research at Salk, UC San Diego, UC Irvine and UCLA. Our Henderson wellness center is now open at 2482 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy, Ste 100.
Your first step is a free consultation with our patient team, online, by phone or in person. See stem cell therapy at GIOSTAR.
