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Pvt cord blood centres to offer collection kits

DUBAI — Private cord blood centres in the UAE are trying to work their way around an impending ban by offering to store stem cells abroad through collection kits on sale on their web sites.

According to the details provided by one owner of a private cord blood centre who wished to remain anonymous, “The kits for which orders have been placed can even be dispatched to a home address and are available with a set of instructions for doctors who perform delivery. A midwife or even a doctor in a private hospital can perform the procedure after a demonstration is made by company representatives in case they are not aware of the procedure.”

The source also said such kits contains all the necessary medical equipment, such as specialised containers, to collect the blood as well as relevant documents required to store stem cells as soon as the delivery is over.

“The process also includes instructions to prepare the shipments ready to be couriered for storage abroad,” explained the source, adding that the total cost of storing the cells for even up to 20 years excluded the shipment charges. The source also said that several foreigners were opting for such collection kits as they preferred to store the cells in their home countries.

However, the UAE Ministry of Health is planning to ban such centres following criticism by experts and demands from various quarters insisting that sensitive issues like storage of stem cells should be handled by the government.

In an earlier interview, Head of Dubai Blood Cord and Research Centre (DCRC) and Specialist Molecular Sematology, Dr Laila Al Shaer said local private cord blood companies did not have any kind of storage facilities and had to send samples overseas.

“The cells needed to be processed within 36 hours. Most of these companies, however, wait to collect enough samples and send them for storage only once a week. Besides, there is a 40 per cent chance that these samples are rejected and if they have already been sent abroad, how can this be verified?”

Pointing out an important aspect of having stem cells stored through collection kits, Dr Al Shaer said, “Most of these companies do not provide important information to donors such as asking donors to undergo compulsory genetic testing before the collection failing which tainted blood could have been stored,” she added.

Dr Al Shaer, however, refused to make further comments on the status of the law expected to be issued and its implications.