Investigation reveals potential misleading of expectant parents by UK biobanks on the value of storing umbilical cord blood for future treatments.
- Private UK biobanks may be misleading expectant parents about the value of storing umbilical cord blood for future use in treating diseases.
- Parents are charged fees ranging from £550 to £3,000 for freezing umbilical cord blood and must pay annual storage fees of over £100.
- Companies market cord blood banking as an investment in the child’s future health, but experts in regenerative medicine say many of these claims are misleading.
- Claims made by private biobanks about the potential uses of stem cells from umbilical cord blood are unrealistic and not supported by scientific evidence.
- Both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives do not recommend commercial umbilical cord blood banking unless there is a specific medical reason to do so.
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Ob/Gyn & Women’s Health, Public Health & Prevention, Oncology, Pediatrics