Before you leave the clinic, you should have written records of exactly what product you received (its source, cell count, viability, and lot number), how it was delivered, what imaging and tests were done, and what you paid for, item by item. Ask which records you will get before you book, and collect them in person before you fly home.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician about your own treatment and follow-up.
Why records matter more than usual here
With a standard drug, a name and dose tell a doctor almost everything. Cell products are different. Two vials labeled "mesenchymal stem cells" can come from different tissues, different donors, different labs, and different processing, with different numbers of living cells. If you have a reaction, a late complication, or simply want to compare results, your doctor needs specifics.
Records also protect you in practical ways. They support a complaint or refund dispute, help if you seek treatment again elsewhere, and let you track outcomes honestly instead of relying on memory.
The product record: what was actually injected
Ask for a written product summary tied to your treatment, plus the lab's release document for the specific lot you received. This is often called a certificate of analysis.
| Item | What it tells you | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Your own cells (autologous) or a donor's (allogeneic) | Stated plainly, not implied |
| Tissue of origin | Bone marrow, adipose (fat), umbilical cord, placenta, or other | Specific tissue, e.g., "umbilical cord Wharton's jelly" |
| Processing | Same-day concentrate versus culture-expanded cells; passage number if expanded | Clear description of minimal versus expanded processing |
| Cell count (dose) | How many cells were given | A number with units, and how it was counted |
| Viability | The share of cells alive at release or at thaw | A percentage, and when it was measured |
| Identity testing | Evidence the cells are what the label says | Marker results, not just a statement |
| Safety testing | Sterility, endotoxin, mycoplasma results for that lot | Pass/fail results with dates |
| Donor screening | For donor products, infectious disease screening | Confirmation that screening was done and passed |
| Lot or batch number | Links your treatment to a specific production run | Matches the label on the vial and the procedure note |
| Lab name and authorization | Who made the product and under what oversight | The lab's name and how the product is authorized in Colombia |
Ask if you can photograph the product label before it is used, showing the lot number and expiry. It is a simple cross-check against your paperwork.
A clinic can keep proprietary manufacturing details private and still give you all of the above for your own lot. If they refuse everything on the grounds of confidentiality, treat that as a warning sign.
Procedure notes: how and where it was given
The procedure note is the clinical record of the day. A good one is specific enough that another physician could understand exactly what happened.
- Date, clinic, and the name and professional registration of the clinician who performed it.
- The site or sites treated, with side (left or right) and anatomical detail.
- Route: into a joint, into a tendon, intravenous, or another route.
- Guidance used: ultrasound, fluoroscopy, or none.
- Volume and dose delivered at each site.
- Anything else given at the same time, such as PRP, anesthetic, or other products.
- If cells were harvested from you, the harvest site, method, and amount.
- Sedation or anesthesia used, and any events during or after the procedure.
- Discharge instructions and warning signs.
Imaging and labs: get the files, not just the reports
A written report is useful. The images themselves are better, because your home doctor or radiologist can compare them with future scans.
- Any X-ray, MRI, CT, or ultrasound done at the clinic, as image files (often provided on a disc, USB drive, or download link) plus the radiologist's report.
- Images saved from the guided injection, if taken.
- Any pre-treatment blood tests, with reference ranges.
- Any post-treatment tests the clinic ran.
- The imaging you brought with you, so you leave with everything in one place.
Store a copy of your own baseline outcome questionnaire with these records too. A pain or function score before treatment makes later comparisons far more meaningful.
Consent, invoices, and policies
These are the documents people forget until there is a dispute.
- Signed consent form. Keep your copy. It should describe the product, the experimental status, the risks, and the alternatives you were told about.
- Itemized invoice. Each charge broken out: consultation, harvest, product, procedure, imaging, labs, any extras. Make sure the clinic's legal name and tax ID appear on it.
- Payment receipts. Matching what you actually paid and how.
- Written policies. Cancellation, rescheduling, refund terms, and what follow-up is included.
- Prescriptions. Any medicines prescribed, with names and doses.
If the invoice lists a vague "regenerative package" with no breakdown, ask for an itemized version before you leave. It is much easier to get in person.
How to ask, and how to store them
- Ask before booking. Email the clinic: "Which of these documents will I receive, and when?" Attach or paste the checklist below.
- Confirm the language. Ask whether English versions are available. If not, plan to translate the product record and procedure note.
- Collect on the day or before you leave Colombia. Request a final packet on your last visit.
- Check for matches. The lot number should match across the label photo, certificate, and procedure note.
- Store two copies. One digital folder in cloud storage, one paper or USB copy at home.
- Share with your doctor. Send the key documents to your home physician once you are back.
The full take-home checklist
- Product summary: source, tissue, processing, dose, viability
- Certificate of analysis for your lot, with identity and safety testing
- Lot or batch number, plus a photo of the label
- Donor screening confirmation (for donor products)
- Name of the lab and how the product is authorized
- Procedure note with site, route, guidance, volume, and clinician
- Imaging files and reports
- Lab results before and after
- Signed consent form
- Itemized invoice and receipts
- Written cancellation, refund, and follow-up policies
- Discharge instructions and emergency contact
- Your baseline outcome score
Frequently asked questions
When should I ask for my records?
Ask before you book which records you will receive, confirm it in writing, and collect them before you leave the clinic or the city. Getting documents by email weeks later, from another country, is much harder.
What is the single most important document?
The product record tied to your treatment: what was given, its source, its lot or batch number, and the lab's release testing for that lot. Without it, no future doctor can know what you received.
Do I need my records translated?
If your home doctor does not read Spanish, yes. Ask the clinic whether it can provide English versions. If not, keep the Spanish originals and get a translation of the key documents.
What if the clinic says lab data is confidential?
A clinic can protect proprietary manufacturing methods while still giving you the identity, dose, viability, and safety testing results for the specific product you received. Refusing all product information is a serious red flag.
How long should I keep these records?
Keep them indefinitely. Questions about a biologic product, a late complication, or insurance and tax matters can come up years later.
Will an itemized invoice help with insurance or taxes?
It can help you make a claim or keep a clear record, but coverage and tax treatment vary and many plans exclude experimental treatment. Ask your insurer or a tax professional, and keep the itemized invoice either way.