Controversial Travels of Medical Tourism

Abstract

Purpose. Description - based on the review of Polish and English literature - of some controversial categories of travel included in medical tourism and known as circumvention tourism. The following types of “tourism” were analyzed: abortion, fertility, suicide, FGM (female genital mutilation) as well as transplant and surgical reassignment surgery tourism. We also undertook an attempt to outline the profile and the motives of participants of such trips. Method. A critical literature review. Findings. Circumvention tourism is a category of medical tourism and includes the abroad travel of patients (medical tourists) for services that are illegal in the country of the medical tourist. The most important factors of circumvention tourism development are: legal regulations, advances in transport and ICT, the development of medicine and changing consumer lifestyles. The participants are usually from developed countries and have a stable financial situation. On the other hand, the profile differs according to the type of travel (subcategory) in which they participate. The main motivations of tourists are: circumvention of legal restrictions, privacy, long waiting lists and fear of stigmatization. Practical implications. The analysis can determine further research regarding circumvention tourism. Originality. The analysis concerns circumvention tourism, which despite an increase in research on the phenomenon of medical tourism is still unexplored and a difficultly assessed area. Type of paper. A review article.