In January 2024, thousands of angry Singaporeans are planning legal action against Cordlife after their children’s umbilical cord blood samples were damaged. This scandal is considered the worst in the industry, according to Bloomberg, raising concerns about the effectiveness of storing umbilical cord blood.
For years, parents in Singapore have paid to store their newborn babies’ umbilical cords and cord blood at Cordlife’s facilities. The goal was to use stem cells in the umbilical cord to treat illnesses if their child got sick. Umbilical cord blood is full of stem cells that can be used to treat various diseases such as cancers, blood diseases, and immune disorders.
However, in November 2020, insufficient liquid nitrogen in the storage tanks caused thousands of units of umbilical cord blood to become damaged and unviable. Cordlife filed a report with the police department, accusing employees of violating procedures and several board members were arrested.
The incident has made customers wary and many expressed concerns on social networks. A group of parents in Singapore is planning legal action against Cordlife, rejecting the company’s offer to reimburse damaged cord blood samples. Medical organizations do not support private cord blood banks questioning the cost-effectiveness and necessity of storing cord blood.
The investigation into Cordlife’s storage facilities continues with some samples still usable and more testing required to determine the extent of the damage. The incident highlights the challenges of monitoring the industry and the high cost of investigations when scandals occur. Parents who have stored their children’s cord blood are experiencing anxiety as they watch this situation unfold.
In conclusion, this incident has raised concerns about private cord banking services and questioned its effectiveness in treating illnesses using stem cells from umbilical cords stored for future use. It also highlights how difficult it can be for medical organizations to regulate these types of businesses due to high costs associated with investigations during scandals.
