Author:
Source: Saudi Gazette
Date: 2009-04-26
Health authorities on Saturday shut down an association here collecting stem cells.
The association used to take stem cells from the umbilical cord linking the mother and the fetus, after convincing the family that the cells could be kept for up to twenty years and used if the child or anyone in the family suffered from any dangerous disease.
The association used to save the stem cells in special labs and charged the family an annual fee.
The stem cells can be used to treat falciparum anemia, Mediterranean anemia, hemophilia, endocrine tumors, tumors of blood, as well as diseases of the immune system, diabetes, and heart disease.
“After we made an inspection tour of the association, we discovered that the institution was functioning without a proper license from the Ministry of Health,” said Mohammed Abduljawad, assistant director of Jeddah Health Affairs Management.
The Ministry of Health, he said, is still studying the possibility of using stem cells from all angles – religious, moral, and scientific.
“Many local and international scientists have studied the advantages and disadvantages of using stem cells, but until now there have been no clear cut results,” added Abduljawad.
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