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Professor warns on stem cell banks in Turkey |
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 Professor Gulsersu Irken of the Dokuz Eylul University's Child
Hematology Department has alleged that people in Turkey are being
tricked by those engaging in the sale and storage of umbilical cord
stem cells in special banks set up for this purpose. Said Professor
Iken, "Someone in Ankara who was considering opening up a restaurant
saw that this might be more profitable, and set up stem cell blood
banks for profit." Professor Iken noted that in the first year alone,
between $1,000 and $1,500 were charged for the storage of umbilical
cord blood cells.
Charging that people were being tricked by false information, at the
basis of which was this warning: Save you baby's umbilical cord blood
cells, or you lose your child's life insurance. Said Professor Iken,
"There is no cure involving the patient's own stem cells. Let's say you
saved your baby's umbilical cells. Then the child got leukemia later.
You cannot treat that child with his or her own stem cells. These stem
blood cells could however be used for other people."
Speaking at a conference on pediatric medicine, Professor Iken
warned of the dangers inherent in private enterprises becoming involved
in stem cell storage, noting that there were no guarantees for
customers and patients.
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