O'Brien plea for stem-cell bank

Published on Saturday 5 April 2008 19:47

CARDINAL Keith O'Brien today issues a radical call for Scotland to lead the world in stem-cell research that does not use human eggs.

In a bid to move on from the bitter row over his opposition to embryo research, the Catholic leader says he wants all hospitals in Scotland to start harvesting the blood contained in babies' umbilical cords, which, he claims, may hold the key to a range of life-saving treatments.

O'Brien has now written to First Minister Alex Salmond calling on him to set up a national cord blood bank, where samples from the 50,000 babies born in Scotland every year could be kept.

He believes Scotland should now lead the world and take the ethical step of ditching techniques that use embryos in favour of the 'cord blood' research.

The cardinal's intervention immediately sparked a fresh debate over the issue, with some fertility experts accusing him of looking for a "piece of magic" and raising false hopes among the public.

However, cord-blood specialists said that the technology could soon offer help for patients with diseases as diverse as diabetes and cerebral palsy.

O'Brien's fresh call comes after he sparked a national debate by labelling the use of hybrid embryos – those made up of both animal and human tissues – as "monstrous Frankenstein" research.

The hybrid embryos would be used to grow stem cells – the so-called 'master' cells – which can then be manipulated into other cells for use in every part of the body.

The advances have raised hopes that illnesses such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's could be cured, by implanting stem cells into the affected areas.

But the cardinal said that the use of embryos in the research is wrong, claiming that the building blocks of life should remain off-limits to science.

In his new initiative, he said he now wants scientists and the Government to focus on cord blood. The blood is known to be rich in stem cells, and scientists are developing techniques that could have the same benefits as embryo-based research.

In a letter to Salmond, a copy of which has been seen by Scotland on Sunday, the cardinal declares:

"The clinical efficacy of cord-blood stem cells continues to be shown in research and treatments across the world.

"Stem cells offer great hope for future therapies in many areas. A plentiful supply of ethically obtained stem cells is a prerequisite to success in these fields.

"In establishing a national system to allow such collection, Scotland could potentially lead the world in creating a regime that would allow parents to have their child's cord blood stored and donated at the time of their birth."

At present, parents in Scotland are forced to pay around 1,500 per baby if they want to store cord blood. Tycoon Sir Richard Branson recently opened a 'Virgin Blood Bank' for mothers and fathers who wanted to store the blood for future use.

Only three hospitals in Britain collect umbilical cord blood, all of them near London. The cardinal claims Scotland could ensure that every hospital in the country offers the service to mothers.

Advocates of cord blood point out that, unlike embryo-grown cells, it is already being used to benefit patients. Blood from a matched donor is injected into leukaemia patients.

Researchers claim that, as with embryonic stem cell treatment, cord-blood stem cells could soon have other uses.

Colin McGuckin, professor of regenerative medicine at Newcastle University, said: "There are 85 conditions for which it is useful. In Florida, there is a trial right now that will tackle type 1 diabetes. One child has been without insulin injections for six months."

But one of Britain's leading fertility experts last night hit back, warning the claims were exaggerated.

Professor Robert Winston said: "The difficulty is that too much of the cord blood doesn't contain stem cells at all. We don't know that cord-blood stem cells have the same potentiality as embryonic stem cells.

"I am afraid the cardinal is looking for a piece of magic. I think it is delightful that he can understand the huge advantages of cord-blood research more than the scientists."

Mark Turner, clinical director of the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service, said last night that in his own view both technologies should be advanced.

Sceptics also warn that the cost of storing blood would be prohibitive. At 1,500 per baby, it would cost 75m a year to store cord blood in Scotland alone.