Regenerative Medicine in Vilnius
A Guide for Canadian Patients

For Canadian patients, this is a domestic point of contact, a familiar conversation, and a clear pathway to treatments that are not yet broadly available in Canada.

This page covers what's most relevant for Canadian patients specifically. For the broader picture of treatments, the medical team, and the patient journey, see our main Lithuania guide.

The Canadian regulatory landscape for regenerative medicine is conservative compared to many international peers. Health Canada regulates cell therapies as drugs under the Food and Drugs Act, and most regenerative therapies — including MSC stem cell therapy and exosome therapy for orthopedic, autoimmune, and neurological indications — are not currently authorized for routine clinical use in Canada outside of approved clinical trials.

At the same time, Canadian patients are facing some of the longest healthcare wait times on record. The Fraser Institute's 2025 report on wait times found a national median of 28.6 weeks from GP referral to treatment, with orthopedic surgery at 48.6 weeks and neurosurgery at nearly 50 weeks. For patients in New Brunswick, total wait times exceed a year.

The result is that a growing number of Canadians are looking internationally for advanced regenerative options. We help make that decision an informed one.

In Canada, most cell therapies are considered investigational and require Health Canada authorization to be administered domestically. The exceptions are well-defined: established hematopoietic stem cell transplants for certain blood cancers, the approved CAR-T cell therapies, and the Health-Canada-approved MSC product Prochymal for pediatric graft-versus-host disease.

MSC therapies for orthopedic, autoimmune, and neurological conditions, exosome therapy, and most of the immunotherapy and longevity protocols offered at Innovita Clinic are not authorized for clinical use in Canada outside of clinical trials.

Canadian patients who pursue regenerative medicine internationally do so under the regulatory framework of the country where treatment is administered — in this case Lithuania and the European Union. This is a different framework, with different evidence, manufacturing, and authorization standards.

What this means in practice for Canadian patients:

• Treatment can occur in Lithuania, under EU and Lithuanian medical regulation
• We stay in touch with clients following treatment, and advise you to continue with your current medical provider for any and all other medical care that isn't correlated to the treatment you'll be receiving in Lithuania

Vilnius International Airport (VNO) is reached from Canada by one connection through major European hubs. Most patients fly via:

• London (LHR or LGW) — connections from Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, and other major Canadian airports
• Frankfurt (FRA) — strong connections from Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver
• Amsterdam (AMS) — connections from major Canadian cities on Air Canada and KLM
• Helsinki (HEL) — direct from Toronto on Finnair, then a short hop to Vilnius
• Warsaw (WAW) — connections from Toronto on LOT

Typical total travel times from Canada:

• Toronto: 10-12 hours
• Montreal: 10-12 hours
• Ottawa: 11-13 hours
• Halifax: 9-11 hours
• Calgary: 13-15 hours
• Edmonton: 13-15 hours
• Vancouver: 14-16 hours
• Winnipeg: 12-14 hours

For most Canadian patients, treatment is combined with a longer trip — typically 5-10 days total, depending on protocol.

For full travel detail — driver service, hotel recommendations, food, communication — see the main Lithuania guide.