Hyderabad: There is a lack of awareness and a prevalence of misinformation among the public regarding umbilical cord blood cells and their use, according to medical practitioners in the state.
Umbilical cord blood banking is an expensive affair. According to recent market reports, only those who have a family history of genetic problems choose to have their children’s cord blood cells stored. In order to encourage people to avail of their facilities, private banks use false claims and misleading advertisements. They say that cord blood cells can be used in the treatment of neuromuscular disorders and for cosmetic purposes as well, which is untrue.
Dr Vimee Bindra, a consultant gynaecologist and infertility specialist at the Apollo Hospitals, says, “Umbilical cord blood serves as a potent source of hematopoietic stem cells. It is used to treat various disorders such as blood cancers, haemoglobinopathies and immunodeficiency disorders, for which haematological stem cell transplantation is the standard of care. The claims that it can be used for any other purposes are false. The general public has too many unrealistic expectations.”
Another problem is that it is unclear what protocols private banks employ for the storage of cord blood cells. There is a need for regulations to govern the process. Dr J. Sumanth, a senior researcher, says, “At present, a lot of the cord blood that is stored at various hospital is used for research purposes only. People are encouraged to donate umbilical cord blood for research. There are private banks working in this sector, but they are only getting a response from families that have a history of genetic diseases.”
