New 10-year UK blood stem cell strategy to be created

9 February 2010

Stem Cell Strategic Forum to be led by NHSBT

Gillian Merron, Public Health Minister, has asked NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) to lead a team of experts in creating a new 10-year strategy for the provision of blood stem cells, including those from cord blood to fight leukaemias and other blood disorders.

The group will carry out the first UK-wide, expert-led review to ensure blood stem cells from adult donors or cord blood are available for patients requiring transplants.

The strategic review will bring together the UK's leading experts and organisations working in this ground-breaking field of science and medicine under the leadership of NHSBT.

The UK already hosts world-leading services providing stem cells from adult and cord blood for therapeutic treatment. In October 2009, the NHS Cord Blood Bank, one of the world's most advanced, opened its expanded state-of-the-art storage facility at Filton, Bristol. The NHS Cord Blood Bank is the fourth largest in the world with 14,500 donations available for therapeutic use; NHSBT will be increasing the bank to 20,000 donations by 2013.

Lynda Hamlyn, Chief Executive of NHSBT said: "The Department of Health is committed to making sure the UK has the best options available for NHS patients needing stem cell therapy. The launch of this ground-breaking review means the Government will have the best advice to develop and deploy these life-saving new services.

"NHSBT has 15 years of expertise in cord blood collection, banking and research. We intend to ask the country's leading clinicians and charities working in this field to add their expertise to our own so that we can build on the success already established in bringing advanced stem cell therapy and transplantation to NHS patients."

Gillian Merron said: "We should make the most of the possibilities that stem cells offer to treat diseases such as leukaemia. I have asked the Forum to think about how to maximise the use of bone marrow registries and cord blood banks in finding a suitable donation to patients needing a transplant.

"National Blood Services in the UK and the Anthony Nolan Trust already provide an excellent service, led by dedicated people with a common objective – to help save more lives. I want to ensure that this work gets even better."

Professor Charles Craddock, Chair of the Strategic Forum, said: "This is an excellent initiative that will bring together the UK's leading experts to develop a set of clear recommendations for the future of stem cell policy. I am delighted to have been asked to Chair the Strategic Forum and look forward to commencing work to determine how we can ensure the needs of patients are best met in the future."

Henny Braund, chief executive of the Anthony Nolan Trust, added: "We warmly welcome today's announcement and are delighted to be playing a key role in this vital project, which will build on our work of 35 years, providing life-saving stem cell donors. We look forward to working with all parties in exploring the fantastic potential of cord blood to save even more lives in future."