Stem cells and cord blood

Human stem cells and cord blood (which is rich in stem cells) are used to research the causes of and treatments for illnesses. Through this research, stem cells can be used for patient treatment.

Stem cells

Human stem cells can be used for the treatment of cancer, diseases of the blood such as leukaemia, and have the potential in the future to treat disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Parkinson's disease.   

The HTA licenses establishments which remove, store, test, process, use or distribute human cells that will be used to treat patients. This includes the use of cell lines grown outside the human body for patient treatment.  More information about cell lines can be found in our FAQs about the regulation of stem cell lines (see the link on the left of this page).

Cord blood

Umbilical cord blood is collected and stored so that it may be used for future treatment of the child or another person. 

The collection of cord blood must be carried out on premises licensed by the HTA, or by a person acting in pursuance of a Third Party Agreement with an HTA-licensed establishment. The cord blood collection must also be carried out by people with specialist training. This ensures that the safety of the mother and child is put first and that a quality sample can be taken.

The HTA licenses the collection and storage of cord blood, but not any treatment using stem cells taken from it.

More information is provided in the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' leaflet on cord blood banking, and in our FAQs about cord blood procurement (see the links on the left of this page).

Also, at the HTA's Review of the year event in July 2009, over 120 HTA staff and stakeholders gathered in Central London to share ideas and participate in a lively debate on cord blood banks.

Please use the links on the left of this page to access more information about stem cells and cord blood.

In particular you may be interested to visit the UK Stem Cell Toolkit which the Department of Health recently launched. The UK Stem Cell Toolkit is a single resource for those who wish to develop a programme of stem cell research and manufacture, ultimately leading to clinical application. The Tool Kit consolidates existing regulatory resources and helps to clarify where the remit of individual regulators begin and end.

The Tool Kit has been developed with the support of the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee, and regulators including the HTA and MHRA. It demonstrates the commitment of regulators, government and funders to work together to help stem cell scientists in the UK translate basic stem cell research into clinical outcomes and commercial benefits.