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The controversial prohibition on stem cell banks in South Africa, according to regulations published for public comment by the Department of Health in May 2007, was recently the subject of a Bioethics Forum that took place on 15 June at The Innovation Hub.
Stem-cell banking is a highly topical issue worldwide. Over the past few years, hundreds of thousands of parents have undertaken to bank the stem cells derived from their babies' cord blood directly after birth. Although medical use of these stem cells is still very limited, the future promise of cell-based therapy has caused much excitement, and is the driving factor behind the decision to store.
In South Africa, three private stem cell banks have been established that offer private storage of a new-born's cord blood stem cells for later use by the child or its next-of-kin. While many overseas countries have established public stem cell banks where cord blood is donated altruistically, similar to a blood transfusion service, South Africa has yet to establish such a public bank.
The Department of Health published Regulations of Human Stem Cells in terms of the National Health Act for public comment in May this year. While these Regulations deal effectively with important matters such as quality assurance and accreditation, they effectively prohibit stem cell banks - both the existing private banks, as well as a possible future public bank.
"The Forum succeeded in its purpose of bringing together interested parties with divergent views and giving everybody the opportunity to voice their opinions," says Adv Donrich Jordaan of the University of Pretoria. "We trust that it has increased the breadth and depth of our understanding of the ethical and legal aspects of stem cell banking in the South African context."
The Forum was organised by Adv Jordaan and Prof Michael Pepper of the University of Pretoria, and was attended by about 40 participants from government, academia and the private sector.
For more information contact Adv Jordaan at donrich.jordaan@up.ac.za.
The Forum was sponsored by eGoliBIO Life Sciences Incubator, as well as The Innovation Hub and the Maxum Incubator.
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