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Family Bank: Stem-Health Hellas
About
Stem-Health Hellas went out of business 23 May 2017. Their inventory of stored cord blood and cord tissue is safe at Hygeia Hospital for now. Efforts are underway to find another storage location. For more information contact the LAW FIRM OF “IKONOMOPOULOS & PARTNERS”.
Labs and Locations
Stem-Health Hellas laboratory and storage is located within the Hygeia Hospital. Hygeia hospital has been accredited by JCI (Joint Commission International) organization.
Business Experience
Stem-Health Hellas provides cord blood banking for babies born at the Hygeia Hospital maternity centers "Mitera" and "Leto". The bank started its activity in 2008, with banking of umbilical cord blood for family use. The bank expanded banking to cord tissue in 2009. Finally, the bank offered the choice of public banking in 2010. When the bank went out of business in May 2017, it was one of the largest in Greece, with a combined cord blood and cord tissue inventory of 35,000 units.
Collection Kit
The Collection Kit is prepared within the CBB facilities in a specialized sanitary area. The person assembling the kit always wears latex gloves and lab coat.
The collection Kit contains among others:
- Cord Blood collection bag for gravity collection by Baxter, with CPDA 1 anticoagulant.
- All the appropriate labels and documentation for unit identification and information purposes.
- Instructions for the obstetrician for collection.
- Temperature logger
- Gel packs or thermal insulation
- Envelope foil
Transportation container
- Containers are water proof bags designed to be unaffected by sunlight and other environmental factors and validated to maintain room temperature.
- Container has gel packs or thermal insulation envelope foil.
- Container has all the appropriate identifications to ensure proper handling during transportation
- Container meet all IATA standards for transportation of biological material.
Shipping Info
- All shipping arrangements are made by Stem-Health Hellas personnel.
- For shipping inside Greece there is no extra cost for the parents.
- Stem-Health Hellas has two fixed collection sites, MITERA and LETO maternity hospitals located very near the Cord Blood Bank facilities. Stem Health Hellas personnel using waterproof carry-on suitcases, transfer the samples from the fixed collection sites to CBB facilities. Collections from MITERA and LETO maternity centers of the Hygeia hospital are walked to the lab 3 times per day.
- At non fixed collection sites, World Courier is responsible for sample’s transportation. The courier service specializes in transport of human tissue.
Processing Method
Semi automatic system using Auto Volume expressors.
Components Stored
Parents are provided with a certificate describing test results (TNCC,CD34+) and the unique identification number of the stored unit.
Storage Method
- Storage container is encased in over wrap and stored inside iodised aluminium canister.
- All tanks are monitored remotely throughout the whole day using web based temperature recording equipment and are also checked manually on a daily basis.
- Specifically trained company personnel are within a 5 minutes response time at all times.
- The cord blood units are stored temporary in vapor phase nitrogen quarantine tanks and transferred permanently in liquid phase nitrogen tanks, after being tested for viral and bacterial contaminations.
- Cord blood unit aliquots are stored under the same conditions as the final product so to be used for future needed testing.
Licensing & Accreditation
- Stem-Health Hellas was the first family stem cell bank in Europe and the only bank in Greece to be accredited by FACT for autologous and directed allogeneic transplantation. However Stem-Health Hellas is not FACT accredited since summer 2016.
- Stem-Health Hellas laboratory is located within the Hygeia Hospital. Hygeia hospital has been recently accredited by JCI (Joint Commission International) organization.
Clinical Experience
No cord blood from private clients has been released for use yet.
Insurance
- Security is ensured by both a private security company and the Hygeia Hospital security personnel; restricted access guarantees confidentiality.
- Stem-Health Hellas and CryoBanks (IASO Hospital Group) are the founders of the Association Of Accredited Stem Cell Banks (AASCB). The AASCB guarantees the continuous mutual storage of the units of these two banks, in case of an event that will prevent the further storage of the units in either storage bank.
Community Service
Stem-health Hellas offers completely free of charge the processing and storage of the cord blood units/cord tissue destined for directed allogeneic transplantation.
Stem-Health Hellas commits to the free-of charge preparation and transportation of the stored cord blood units to any transplantation center in the world to treat a life-threatening disease of the child itself or any 1st degree relative.
Prices
Stem-Health Hellas always gives parents a receipt and a legally binding contract for the period of storage which is currently 20 years. Stem-Health Hellas processing fee covers 20 years storage
Fixed-Collection Sites (MITERA & LETO):
At the partner maternity centers Mitera or Leto, cord blood banking with Stem-Health Hellas costs 400€ (including VAT taxes), for 20 years of storage. Cord tissue banking costs €850 (including VAT taxes), for 20 years of storage.
Non Fixed-Collection Sites:
Outside of the partner maternity centers the cost of cord blood banking is €1000 (including taxes). Cord tissue banking alone costs €850, including 20 years of storage.
Additional Services
Stem-Health Hellas offers five distinct services:
1.Cord blood donation to the public
2. Directed Cord Blood banking
3. Private Cord Blood banking for the family
4. Private banking of Cord tissue
5. HLA typing
Prices with Additional Services
Outside of the partner maternity centers the cost of cord blood banking is €1000. When cord tissue is banked with cord blood the additional cost is €300.