On September 19, 2025, the Department of Science, Technology and Training under the Ministry of Health issued an official dispatch to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, requesting a report on the information that had recently circulated regarding a patient who was successfully treated with CAR-T cell therapy.
Accordingly, the Department of Science, Technology and Training said it had received information from mass media about a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City sharing news of the first successful application of CAR-T cell therapy in Vietnam, bringing hope to many children with malignant blood diseases.
According to the agency, the application of cells and cell-derived products, including stem cells, in disease prevention and treatment must be supported by scientific evidence regarding the safety and effectiveness of the method.
At the same time, this must comply with the current Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, Circular No. 32/2023/TT-BYT dated December 31, 2023 issued by the Minister of Health, and Decree No. 96/2023/ND-CP of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment.
To ensure the rights and safety of patients in Vietnam and compliance with current relevant legal regulations, the Department of Science, Technology and Training requested the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health to urgently review and inspect the information provided by the hospital regarding the use of CAR-T cell therapy for patients in Vietnam.
Specifically, the department was asked to examine the legal status of the CAR-T cell therapy used by the patient, including whether the therapy has been licensed for application in medical examination and treatment, as well as the hospital’s treatment protocols and procedures for patients receiving CAR-T cell therapy.
In addition, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health was also requested to review the hospital’s regulations on controlling and approving information provided about CAR-T cell therapy to ensure that the information is complete and accurate.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health must report the above matters to the Ministry of Health, including the Department of Science, Technology and Training, the Legal Department, and the Department of Medical Service Administration, before September 25, 2025, as a basis for reporting to the Ministry’s leadership.
The hospital in Ho Chi Minh City said it had coordinated with a hospital in Taipei, China, to provide CAR-T cell treatment for the patient.
Previously, according to information recorded by reporters, since 2024, a final-level hematology hospital in Ho Chi Minh City had sent doctors and technicians abroad for training in cell therapy, including CAR-T cell therapy.
The hospital also coordinated with a hospital in Taipei, China, to provide CAR-T cell treatment for patients with repeatedly relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Among them, a 12-year-old girl was reported to be the first Vietnamese patient to be successfully treated with CAR-T cell therapy.