Transfer of Samples from Private Hospitals to Singapore Cord Blood Bank

60 Mr Don Wee asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will consider expanding the family cord blood banking service of the Singapore Cord Blood Bank to those in private hospitals; and (b) whether arrangements can be made to transfer cord blood samples to the Public Donation inventory for families who have registered under the family cord blood banking service but have not kept up with the required payments.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Family cord blood banking services of the Singapore Cord Blood Bank (SCBB) have always been available to parents who choose to deliver their babies in the private hospitals.

Should the parents subsequently choose to discontinue SCBB's family cord blood banking services, the Ministry of Health encourages them to donate the cord blood units to the public inventory if the units meet the public donation criteria.