Thai Authorities Warn of Overzealous Cord Blood Firms

The controversy surrounding private cord blood banking is not limited to the U.S. alone. Recently, officials in Thailand issued a statement expressing concern over the marketing tactics used by umbilical cord banks there.

The argument in Thailand echoes the U.S. dispute. Advocates of banking are met with opponents who claim that risk analysis does not support the onerous expenses associated with individualized banking solutions.

As an article in Thailand's "The Nation" reported:
"The Public Health Ministry has warned families who want to preserve blood stem cells from the umbilical cord of their newborn babies for transplants in case of future illness to think twice before paying vast amounts of money to private stem-cell banks.

Dr Wisit Tangnaphaporn, deputy director-general of the Department of Health Service Support, said he wanted families to weigh the expense they have to shoulder for the stem-cell storage service against the chances that their child could be saved from future diseases by using these cells."

Obviously, cord blood banking on an individual level is a hot-button issue all over the world. You can read the article about Thailand's situation here.