Travelling to Pune or Mumbai for ACT at ALIV: A Practical Patient Guide | ALIV

A significant proportion of ALIV's ACT patients travel from other cities across India — and from abroad — to receive treatment at our Pune and Mumbai clinics. This reflects the relative scarcity of rigorously conducted, autologous ACT in India and the concentration of specialist regenerative medicine expertise at ALIV. For patients considering travel for ACT, this article provides the practical guidance needed to plan the visit efficiently and safely.

The Standard Multi-Visit Structure

Most ACT patients from outside Pune or Mumbai need to plan for a minimum of two clinical visits. The first is the pre-ACT consultation — a comprehensive clinical assessment that takes two to three hours and determines candidacy, protocol, and exact scheduling. The second visit (or a continuation of the first, if the clinical team determines same-day candidacy after consultation) is the procedure day itself — a full day commitment from morning to late afternoon. A third visit at three months for the primary follow-up assessment is strongly recommended; some patients schedule this alongside a subsequent IV therapy visit. For patients who cannot travel for the three-month review, ALIV's clinical team can coordinate a detailed teleconsultation review supported by investigations done at a local laboratory and sent to the ALIV team.

Planning Your Visit

For the procedure day, accommodation in Pune or Mumbai for the evening before and the evening after the procedure is strongly recommended — returning home by long-distance travel on the procedure day itself is not appropriate. The harvest site requires rest and local care, and driving long distances or travelling by aircraft on the procedure day carries unnecessary comfort and logistical risk. Most patients who are comfortable at rest the day after the procedure find that onward travel by air or train is feasible from the second day post-procedure, though individual assessment applies. ALIV's clinical team can advise on travel timing for the specific procedure planned.

International Patients

ALIV's Pune and Mumbai clinics receive patients from across South Asia, the Gulf states, and further afield. International patients receive complete English-language clinical documentation including pre-procedure requirements, procedure protocols, and post-procedure instructions. The clinical team can coordinate with the patient's home-country physicians for pre-ACT investigation review and post-ACT follow-up support. Medical visa documentation for India can be supported with appropriate clinical letters — contact ALIV's international patient coordination team for specific requirements.

Can the pre-ACT consultation be done remotely?

A preliminary teleconsultation — reviewing medical history, investigations, and general candidacy — can be conducted remotely as a first step. This helps patients from distant locations make an informed travel decision before committing to the full on-site consultation. The formal pre-ACT assessment, including clinical examination and final protocol determination, requires an in-person visit. The teleconsultation is not a substitute for this but a practical preliminary that reduces wasted travel for patients who may not be appropriate candidates.

What investigations should I bring from my local hospital?

Recent investigations most useful for the pre-ACT consultation: disease-specific imaging (X-ray or MRI for joint conditions; MRI brain for neurological conditions; liver ultrasound or FibroScan for liver conditions); recent blood panel including LFT, RFT, CBC, HbA1c, vitamin D, B12, ferritin, and any condition-specific markers; current medication list; and specialist letters from treating physicians. Bringing these prevents the need for repeat investigations at ALIV and allows the consultation to focus on clinical assessment and treatment planning rather than investigation collection.