World

Singapore urges better stem cell bank supervision

Singapore has asked Cordlife, one of Asia's largest stem cell bank providers, to tighten supervision of its processes after improper handling ruined thousands of samples, an official has said.

Singapore urges better stem cell bank supervision

Hanoi (VNA) - Singapore has asked Cordlife, one of Asia's largest stem cell bank providers, to tighten supervision of its processes after improper handling ruined thousands of samples, an official has said.

In January, the Health Ministry found that about 7,500 cord blood units could not be used for transplants because they were exposed to temperatures exceeding the acceptable limit of below minus 150 degrees Celsius.

Cordlife filed a police report in April blaming former staff for "potential wrongdoing".

Authorities have said Cordlife failed to properly store blood taken from the umbilical cord from babies, sparking the fury of thousands of parents

Singapore's health ministry urged the company to "revalidate its processing method for cord blood units and enhance staff training and supervision of its operations more closely", Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Health, told parliament.

The company said in a statement on May 7 that it is boosting laboratory and technical manpower to prevent future disruptions, among other measures.

Cordlife CEO Ivan Yiu apologised to all customers and pledged to find ways to minimise the impact on them.

Storing cord blood is a private service that emerged over the past 20 years and is offered to parents when their babies are born, according to the Singapore health ministry.

US-based based Global Market Insights said the global cord blood banking market size is projected to grow to 20 billion USD by 2027 from 14.21 billion USD in 2020./.

VNA
#Singpaore #storing cord blood #impact #babies #supervision Singapore
Follow VietnamPlus

Related News

Students walk to classes at a secondary school in Singapore. (Photo: Reuters.com

Singapore introduces AI in classrooms

At Lakeside Primary School in Singapore, a trolley full of laptops is wheeled to the door of a fifth grade classroom where 30 or so students rush out to a hallway to retrieve them to learn mathematics using artificial intelligence (AI) each week.

See more

Initiative to boost China, ASEAN city-level relations (Photo: en.gxzf.gov.cn)

Initiative to boost China, ASEAN city-level relations

Mayors of 12 cities, together with representatives and experts, from China and ASEAN countries gathered in Nanning city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, for the Global Mayors Dialogue from January 15-18.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Uruguay Ngo Minh Nguyet and Vice President-elect Carolina Cosse (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Uruguay strengthen cooperation

Vietnam always remembers and thank for valuable assistance from the government and people of Uruguay during its past struggle for independence and national reunification as well as the ongoing integration and development process, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Uruguay Ngo Minh Nguyet.

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan (center) delivers a speech at the National Working Meeting of Barantin in Jakarta on January 16, 2025. (Photo: Antara)

Indonesia focuses on technology to enhance quarantine systems

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan on January 16 called on the Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) to strengthen its human resources, upgrade laboratory facilities, and harness information technology to bolster the nation’s quarantine capabilities.

Chinese tourists flock to the Erawan Shrine in Pathumwan to pray for New Year's wishes. (Photo: bangkokpost)

Thailand adjusts target for Asian visitors

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is revising its target for Asian visitors this year, focusing on potential markets to counter a decline in Chinese arrivals.

Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won-shik (front row, centre) poses with ASEAN member nation envoys and government officials during a luncheon in Seoul. (Photo: Courtesy of Thai Ambassador Tanee Sangrat on X)

RoK reaffirms commitment to ASEAN-focused diplomacy

Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Woo Won-shik has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to ASEAN-focused diplomacy and its active role in ASEAN-led mechanisms when he hosted a luncheon for diplomatic envoys from 10 ASEAN nations in Seoul on January 16.

App stores are also responsible for monitoring app content and are required to review apps and updates before they are released. (Photo: The Straits Times)

Singapore mandates age assurance for app stores

Singapore will soon require app stores to implement measures, including age verification, to enhance online safety, particularly for children, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced on January 15.

Malaysia defines two priorities to ensure food security

Malaysia defines two priorities to ensure food security

The Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) has set two major priorities for this year - reforming the national rice and paddy industry, and increasing productivity in the ruminant sector, particularly beef and buffalo meat production.

A screenshot of President Prabowo Subianto (left) at the Indonesia-Brazil business forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 17. (Photo: ANTARA)

BRICS – new key export market of Indonesia

Indonesia’s non-oil and gas exports to the five major BRICS nations reached 84.37 billion USD in 2024, accounting for nearly 34% of the country’s total non-oil and gas export value, according to the country’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Thailand eases visa regulations to attract global citizens

Thailand eases visa regulations to attract global citizens

Thailand's Cabinet recently introduced updates to the qualifications, criteria, and conditions of the Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa programme, aiming to attract a broader range of experts, investors, and executives to strengthen the country's foreign talent pool.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo Enrique Manalo (right) and his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya at the news conference in Manila on January 15. (Photo: Kyodo/VNA)

Philippines, Japan agree to promote security cooperation

Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo Enrique Manalo and his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya on January 15 agreed to continue communication with the incoming US administration of President-elect Donald Trump to promote their trilateral relationship.