The department of health said yesterday that they were drafting guidelines for laboratories producing and handling blood made from the stem cells of umbilical cords of new-born babies.
"We hope to ensure the public's rights and control the quality of cord blood collection with the setup of the guidelines," said Liao Su-hwa (
Liao said the "Standard Operation Procedures of Labs for Collection and Treatment of Cord Blood Stem Cells" would be used to register such laboratories and ensure collection, preservation techniques and storage equipment met agreed standards.
The guidelines are expected to be finalized by the end of the month.
The industry is in its infancy.
Umbilical cord blood contains stem cells which can be used to create a new blood supply or boost the immune system in patients suffering from leukemia, certain anemias and other blood disorders.
Such cells also avoid the ethical issues associated with using embryos as a source of stem cells, which can transform themselves into other types of cells and which scientists could use to regenerate damaged organs or tissue.
Operators of the handful of such blood banks around the country welcomed the proposed guidelines.
"It's a must for the government to offer a guideline for us to follow while we are still in the teething stage," said Chris Tsai, president of BioNet Corp, the first and largest such blood bank in Taiwan.
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