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.
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Denne historien er fra December 02, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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