Umbilical cord blood in Ukraine: deaf, like in a bank
There is a wild market of umbilical cord blood in UkraineEvgenia Danilenko, Focus
A Ukrainian family is suing the Gemafond bank, accusing it of blood poisoning.
Focus found out whether there is a future for this area of medicine in Ukraine, and how the local market of cord blood and stem cells works.
Umbilical cord blood is obtained from the umbilical cord (3% of blood) and placenta (97% of blood) immediately after delivery. Its main property is the high content of stem cells, which are able to transform into any other cells, tissues and even organs. The concentration of stem cells in umbilical cord blood is 10-12 times higher than in bone marrow. Stem cells can also be obtained from adult tissues (blood, adipose tissue, skin, tooth tips, nasopharyngeal mucosa, abortive material). Stem cells help fight atherosclerotic lesions of the vessels of the heart and extremities, diabetes mellitus, pancreatic necrosis, burns, cirrhosis of the liver.
"Manipulation of the psyche" is what the aggressive advertising of umbilical cord blood banks was called by Ukrainian women in labor who recently wrote a complaint to the president and the government. They claim that commercial blood banks intimidate women with advertising, forcing them to pay for an expensive and not always necessary service. As this advertisement promises, the stem cells contained in the umbilical cord blood are a reserve of health for the child and his closest relatives, however, only if this blood is properly preserved. Yuri Makusev from Kiev did not succeed. Last week, the court ended consideration of the first such claim in Ukraine: Yuri accuses the bank "Gemafond" of infection of umbilical cord blood during sampling in the maternity hospital.
The Verkhovna Rada also drew attention to the uncontrolled cord blood market – on June 15, deputies adopted in the first reading a bill obliging all entrepreneurs to license such a business. Previously, the cord blood bank had to obtain a license only for the processing of blood and its components. And everyone determined the order of collection and storage based on world standards and the level of their own decency. A leaky legislative base creates confusion. So, in one of the blood banks, we were convinced that even if their company went bankrupt, the client could A leaky legislative base creates confusion. So, in one of the blood banks, we were convinced that even if their company went bankrupt, the client could take his blood and take it abroad
take your blood and take it abroad. To make sure that this is unrealistic, it is enough to study the law "On Transplantation" and the regulatory documents of the Ministry of Health.
Without guaranteesDoctors persuaded Yuri's wife to terminate her pregnancy – their fourth child was diagnosed with kidney failure in the womb.
– We decided to take a risk after learning about the service of cord blood preservation, – recalls the father of a one-and-a-half-year-old girl. – A few days after giving birth, they called from the blood bank, with whom we signed a contract and paid for the service – more than 5 thousand hryvnias, and dryly reported: "The blood turned out to be infected." Without warning the client and without paying compensation, the blood was disposed of.
Having lost the appeal in the Kiev court, Yuri is going to file a cassation. His daughter now lives with one kidney – in the German clinic where the girl was treated, they insisted on removing the second one. "To grow a new organ from umbilical cord blood is fantastic, but we could improve the body. Investments in the future, which also cost a lot, turned out to be profanation. We demand recognition of their guilt and compensation in the amount of 100 thousand dollars," the father is indignant.
Focus got acquainted with the case materials – it turns out that not even a paramedic, but a company driver, was engaged in checking documents and delivering blood from the hospital to the bank's vault. And blood sampling, for which Gemafond is responsible under the contract, is done by employees of the capital's maternity hospital No. 7. "They are negotiated verbally – there is no written agreement between the bank and the maternity hospital," Olga Skorina, lawyer of the All–Ukrainian Association for the Protection of Patients' Rights, who conducted the case, is surprised. Yuri, who was present at the birth, recalls: the nurse did not immediately take blood, but managed to put the umbilical cord, placenta and instruments in one container. Perhaps there was an infection, suggests the father.
It was not possible to find out the point of view of other parties: Focus contacted the Gemafond company, but did not receive comments. At the maternity hospital No. 7, we were told that the blood was not touched, and all claims to the bank.
Sberbank for cellsUmbilical cord blood has already been thawed several times at the Kharkiv Institute of Cryobiology and Cryomedicine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
"The baby had a birth trauma, as a result of which half of the brain lagged behind in development. The use of cells had an effect," recalls the director of the Institute Valentin Grishchenko. Kharkiv residents are pioneers, they have developed a system for freezing cells. "Cells from abortive material were used by both Brezhnev and Nixon. But there was no method of storing them, so they had to be injected immediately, "fresh", risking infecting the patient. We have learned how to freeze them."
Umbilical cord blood, placenta, sperm are stored here. Two years ago, Mr. Grishchenko began researching the conversion of stem cells into pancreatic cells for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. "And we learned how to do it. We are preparing for clinical trials – we are looking for volunteers," he says.
In the next two years, a new state donor bank of umbilical cord blood and bone marrow will appear at the institute. "Anyone will be able to submit their material for free, having the right to use the bank for free if necessary," explains Valentin Grishchenko. According to the calculations of his partner Valentina Markevich, president of the Foundation for Helping Children with Cancer, there will be no problems with umbilical cord blood. "Only a few people are deciding to keep their umbilical cord blood. The rest of the material is thrown away. Why not save it?" – she says. The only problem is the cost of analysis of each sample – it's about $ 150. "We need 5 thousand samples. Then we will be able to provide material to any patient, and also to participate in the global donor base, that is, to exchange samples if necessary," adds Oleg Vinogradov from the BP Health Committee.
Skin and bonesA huge glazed room resembling a spaceship:
thick glass, sound insulation, almost sterile air. After going through several stages of disinfection, laboratory technicians get inside to check the blood, isolate stem cells and grow tissues from them for patients.
The bank of the Donetsk Institute of Emergency and Reconstructive Surgery named after V.K. Gusak is so far the only one where not only umbilical cord blood is stored, but also bone marrow, another source of stem cells. From the cells contained in it, it is possible to grow human tissues, vessels and even organs. The institute's doctors managed to restore the skin on the body burned by 95%, grow heart vessels – the institute has been conducting clinical trials for several years with the participation of about a thousand volunteers who are not helped by traditional treatment. Vladislav Grin, director of the institute, insists that the cells are used only if the patient cannot be helped by the traditional method – according to the law "On Transplantation" violation of this rule is fraught with punishment. "But I know of cases when stem cells are used unnecessarily – some violate the law for the sake of the experience of doctors and the success of trials," says Grin.
To restore the skin, stem cells of abortive fetuses are used. They are scaled, increasing the number by 20 times, and a special gel is prepared for skin growth. "Two or three abortions in our gynecological clinic are enough for us to grow skin. Because we know how to scale cells. Those who do not know how, need hundreds of abortions a year. Then think it out for yourself," the doctor does not hide the state of affairs.
No one has yet learned to directly affect cancer with stem cells, but in Donetsk they do it indirectly. After the application of cell therapy, blood cells are restored, immunity increases, and it is possible to continue to carry out chemistry. "In a few years I will be able to describe the already proven treatment method. But I doubt that in the next ten years there will be centers in the country that will be able to use it. It costs a lot of money and requires experience. Although there will always be charlatans," the scientist gives a pessimistic forecast, which is already coming true. Sometimes in the form of a tragedy, sometimes in the form of a farce. As, for example, it happened quite recently with Olga from Kiev, whose last name we promised not to name. On the eve of giving birth, she learned about the cord blood collection service and asked the head physician of the maternity hospital if it was possible to donate blood and where to store it. The doctor offered her services, and advised to leave the blood for storage right in the hospital. When the woman regained consciousness after giving birth, a nurse approached her: "Sorry, we were so worried at birth that we forgot to take your blood."
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru05.07.2010