First RP Stem Cell bank launched By Lily O Ramos

MANILA, March 17 — Cordlife, Asia Pacific's largest network of private cord banks, recently launched the Philippines' first and only cord blood processing and cyropreservation facility at the Techportal of UP Ayaland Techno Hub, Diliman, along Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City.

Daphne Teo of the Singapore Embassy, Prof. Armin Sarthou, vice president of Development of the University of the Philippines (DUP) and mother-media personalities Tintin Bersola-Babao and Giselle Sanchez graced the launching.

With this new facility, Filipino parents no longer have to risk sending their baby's cord blood abroad for long-term storage.

Cord blood comes from a newborn baby's umbilical cord which is usually thrown away after birth until some scientific discoveries in 1988 made it a major source of stem cells for transplantation worldwide to cure diseases. Cord blood are made of stem cells which are responsible for replenishing blood and immune system cells with the ability to multiply and develop into other cell types to produce new and healthy cells.

The new CordLife here is built around world-class standards such as the American Association of Blood Banks and International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

"Our investments to align with these standards are necessary to support stem cell therapies ethically and responsibly," said Steven Fang, Group chief executive officer of the CordLife Limited.

Cryopreservation includes cord blood collection, procedural fee, cord blood processing, viability test, infectious disease tests and ground transportation of cord blood unit within Metro Manila.

There is an annual cord blood unit cryopreservation fee of P8,000, but it is not a prerequisite.

Cord blood stem cells has been used by doctors all over the world for more than 80 diseases, including certain cancers and many other blood-related disorders such as high blood pressure and heart ailments.

In fact, lymphoma and leukemia, both treatable with cord blood are the top two childhood cancers in the Philippines. Leukemia is among the country's top 10 most common form of cancer for adults.

Other emerging applications with cord blood stem cells under active research include cerebral palsy and Type 1 diabetes.

Cordlife Medical Philippines, Inc. has now formally started operating 365 days a year and has the capacity to store more than 20,000 cord blood stem cell units.

Some media men who were amazed after hearing and seeing the technology suggested perhaps the government should adopt it to lessen expensive medication and surgical procedure which may not be successful in the end, especially in the case of terminal diseases. (PNA) vcs/LOR

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