The kidnapping of four U.S. citizens who traveled to Mexico last week is putting the spotlight on 'medical tourism,' or when people travel to other countries to receive medical care or buy prescription drugs, often at lower prices.
The Associated Press her younger brother, Zindell Brown, was one of the four kidnapping victims and that one of them planned to undergo"tummy tuck" cosmetic surgery in Mexico.
Violent crime targeting people who leave the U.S. to seek care is extremely rare, said Josef Woodman, CEO of Patients Beyond Borders, a medical tourism group. Instead, the risks typically involve failing to do sufficient research to find certified physicians and clinics in other countries, which could increase the risk of substandard care, he said.
About one-quarter of American medical tourists travel to South America for treatment, with another roughly 20% traveling to Central America, according to a 2015from the U.S. International Trade Commission . Other popular destinations include Asian countries such as Thailand, Singapore and South Korea, according to Patients Without Borders.
"I have a consult today who had a tummy tuck in Mexico and now has a bad infection," Hermann said."She may need additional surgery."
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
2 kidnapped Americans kidnapped in Mexico found dead, 2 others aliveTwo of four Americans abducted in Mexico last week when their van was caught in a...
Read more »
FBI demanding return of four Americans shot, kidnapped in MexicoThe four Americans crossed into Matamoros, Tamaulipas, in a white minivan with North Carolina plates on March 3 and came under fire soon after, according to officials.
Read more »
4 Americans missing, feared kidnapped in Matamoros, MexicoThe FBI says four U.S. citizens have been kidnapped after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in the northern Mexico border city of Matamoros.
Read more »
4 Americans missing, feared kidnapped in Matamoros, MexicoFour U.S. citizens have been kidnapped after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in the northern Mexico border city of Matamoros, the FBI said Sunday.
Read more »
4 Americans missing, feared kidnapped in Matamoros, MexicoThe FBI says four U.S. citizens have been kidnapped after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in the northern Mexico border city of Matamoros.
Read more »
4 Americans missing, feared kidnapped in Matamoros, MexicoFBI officials said the white minivan the four were traveling in came under fire shortly after it entered Mexico.
Read more »