Cord blood stored with Cordlife Group was the hope that Mr Tan S.Y., who has a 15-year-old son with a rare blood disorder, was counting on.
But those hopes could be dashed as the cord blood stored with the company could have been damaged due to improper storage.
On Nov 30, the Ministry of Health (MOH) revealed that Cordlife Group had exposed cryopreserved cord blood units at suboptimal temperatures, damaging the cord blood units belonging to at least 2,150 clients and rendering them unsuitable for stem cell transplant purposes.
Investigations are ongoing, and MOH will consider further enforcement action, including imposing financial penalties or prosecution.
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born.
It is a rich source of haematopoietic stem cells, which may be used in stem cell transplants to treat blood diseases and some cancers. Parents usually bank cord blood as a form of insurance, in case their children develop diseases later in life.
Mr Tan, who declined to give his full name, has four children between the ages of seven and 15, and he said he spent at least $8,000 storing cord blood for all of them.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 02, 2023 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 02, 2023 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Dutch chef Sergio Herman opens Le Pristine in Singapore
If the zing of kaffir lime in the mussel antipasti, or the chilli king crab on the pizzette, or the soursop in the gambero rosso seem somewhat familiar, that would be Dutch chef Sergio Herman putting a little bit of Singapore into his food.
SINNER'S 'SPECIAL' YEAR-END TOP SPOT
First Italian to finish the year as No. 1 will clinch 7th title of 2024 if he beats Djokovic
Kiwis get down to business quickly
BARCELONA - New Zealand beat Britain in the opening America's Cup races on Oct 12, with the holders setting the pace in the early skirmishes with the challengers in the first-to-seven contest.
"'SPORTSWASHING' CRY AS NBA PLAYS IN UAE"
But commissioner Silver disagrees that its presence in a key market helps hide abuses
SailGP matures with new tech, stiff rivalry
NEW YORK - As SailGP approaches its fifth season of racing, this professional sailing league is finally flying on its own two foils.
WALLER-LANE IN GUINEAS UPSET
Private Life steals the show after inch-perfect front-running ride in Caulfield 3YO feature
Fintech exec began developing her investing acumen as a teen
Her initial better-safe-than-sorry approach has given way to a higher risk appetite now
Betting apps are more toxic than you think
Betting companies all publicly espouse their commitment to responsible gaming. They help fund programmes to combat addiction and give customers the option to exclude themselves from betting or to enrol in \"cool-off\" periods that keep them from logging in for a day or two.
Revival in demand for private resale homes
Volume of transactions in Jan-Aug up 11% from same period a year ago, data shows
How to plan for retirement when you are on your own
For Ms Sara Zeff Geber, the \"aha moment\" came a few years ago as she listened to a friend recount all the tasks she was taking on to help her increasingly frail 91-year-old mother.