The Hindu Business Line : Cord blood banks face many issues in India

Hyderabad April 8 Absence of regulatory framework, non-availability of empirical data on applications, lack of proper infrastructure and poor awareness are the main issues concerning the cord blood banks in the country.

These were some of main observations made by experts at a panel discussion on `Cord blood banking: Promise and realty — the intersection of science, commerce and ethics' organised by the Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation at L V Prasad Eye Institute here on Saturday.

`Unanswered questions'

Presenting a gynaecologist's perspective, Dr Evita Fernandez of Fernandez Hospital, said there were many unanswered questions for a gynaecologist on cord blood collection. "Many doubts persist on the evidence for use, the dependability of storage facilities and the ethical questions," she said. A sample study conducted on 400 couples showed poor awareness (3 per cent) on the issue, she added.

According to Dr Sailesh Singhi from Ushodaya Hospitals, cord blood banking was not a routine one in India and aspects like how samples were processed need to be examined.

Speaking on the legal aspects, Justice (Retd) Mr T.N.C. Rangarajan, said as the law does not speak on cord blood banking now, vital issues such as who owns the placenta, the status of contract between the donor and the bank, the efficacy of public cord banks vis-à-vis private banks should be studied.

Asserting that cord blood banking was fast catching up abroad, Dr N.S. Murthy, Medical Director, LifeCell, said the industry was expecting a regulatory mechanism soon. Dr D. Balasubramanian, LVPEI said the country would have to wait for a long time to get clarity on the issue.

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