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Umbilical cord blood scandal in Korea

11. April 2005

Donga.com reports that OB/Gyn's are harvesting cord blood from mothers who are unconscious for C-section, without their knowledge, and selling it for research use at the price of 150,000 won (about $560) per collection. This is comparable to the going price in the US of cord blood sold for research. Officials at the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare admitted that at present there are no laws requiring consent for the 'recycling of umbilical cord blood'.