Source: Walesonline

THE mother of a blind toddler who went to China for stem cell treatment has defended parents who harvest umbilical cord blood.

Joanna Clark, who believes her two-year-old son Joshua can now recognise light, said parents should be allowed to save the umbilical cord blood.

Maternity units and private firms, which collect umbilical cord blood to preserve stem cells, are being warned they could be acting outside the law.

The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) last week wrote to maternity units, firms and professional bodies following concerns that parents, including new fathers, are collecting the blood themselves using kits delivered to their homes.

Some midwives have also said they are being put under pressure to collect umbilical cord blood illegally. There are fears this could be compromising patient care.

Police officer Mrs Clark, 25, from Caernarfon, said: “It [stem cell treatment] is just being used for so many different things at the moment.” Mrs Clark, who with husband Anthony, 26, raised £40,000 for Joshua’s treatment, added: “I know from looking at it myself that it’s a very expensive option, but if it could help your child at a later date then I think any parent would want to do it.”

Joshua, an only child who was born with optic nerve hypoplasia, was treated with donated umbilical cord stem cells.

Mrs Clark added: “The science is so new I don’t know whether they would have used our own.

“I know in America they do it as standard there. They keep the umbilical cord and store it, but over here it’s not as common.”

The number of cord blood collections is rising steadily across the UK, with 15,514 in 2009, up from 14,335 in 2008, according to HTA figures.

Private companies charge around £1,500 for extracting stem cells from the blood and storing them for up to 25 years.

Umbilical cord blood stem cells have the potential to grow into many different kinds of cells. Experts hope they will be able to replicate the cells in the lab to grow replacement tissue and even organs.

Stem cells are also suitable for treating blood or immune system disorders such as leukaemia and sickle cell anaemia, and there are hopes of helping people with diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

But since July 2008, only suitably trained staff can collect cord blood under an HTA licence held by either the maternity unit or the private firm which employs them.

Dr Shaun Griffin, director of communications at the HTA, said parents should discuss plans for collection well in advance of the mother’s due date to ensure the procedure runs smoothly.

Louise Silverton, general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, added: “It is essential that midwives are able to concentrate on the birth and are not put under pressure to carry out unregulated and unlawful cord blood collections.”

Private firm Future Health, which has more than 30,000 samples stored, said interest in storing stem cells had become “increasingly popular” in the last decade.

Mrs Clark said she would consider harvesting her umbilical cord stem cells if she has more children.

“I think it’s something we would definitely look at. But I know from speaking to a local midwife that somebody has done it around here and the hassle it can cause is unbelievable.

“They had to have three health professionals (nurses) who didn’t work for the NHS to do it.

“The nurses used to work for the NHS and were trained to do it. I think anybody would give it a go if they thought it would make a difference.”